Neurology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Correspondence:
Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Correspondence are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Betting, L. E.
Right arrow Articles by Cendes, F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Betting, L. E.
Right arrow Articles by Cendes, F.
Related Collections
Right arrow MRI
Right arrow All Epilepsy/Seizures
NEUROLOGY 2006;67:848-852
© 2006 American Academy of Neurology

MRI reveals structural abnormalities in patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsy

L. E. Betting, MD, S. B. Mory, MD, I. Lopes-Cendes, MD, PhD, L. M. Li, MD, PhD, M. M. Guerreiro, MD, PhD, C.A.M. Guerreiro, MD, PhD and F. Cendes, MD, PhD

From the Departments of Neurology (L.E.B., S.B.M., L.M.L., M.M.G., C.A.M.G.) and Medical Genetics (I.L.-C.), State University of Campinas, UNICAMP, Brazil.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. F. Cendes, Departamento de Neurologia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas–UNICAMP, Cidade Universitária, Campinas SP, Brazil, CEP 13083-970; e-mail: fcendes{at}unicamp.br

Objective: To evaluate MRI findings in a large group of patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies.

Methods: Idiopathic generalized epilepsies were diagnosed according to clinical and EEG criteria following International League Against Epilepsy recommendations. MRI was performed in a 2.0 T scanner using a previously established epilepsy protocol. Images were reviewed, and any abnormality was reported. Patients were divided in those with and without MRI abnormalities. Comparisons were made between these groups concerning age, age at seizure onset, subsyndrome, EEG findings, and seizure control.

Results: Of the 134 MRIs evaluated, 33 (24%) showed abnormalities, most of which (88%) were nonspecific. There were eight main abnormalities: arachnoid cyst, diffuse cortical atrophy, basal ganglia abnormalities (signal alterations and prominent perivascular spaces), ventricular abnormalities (uni- or bilateral increased volume of the lateral ventricles), white matter abnormalities (increased T2 signal in the frontal lobes), reduced hippocampal volume, focal gyral abnormality, and area of gliosis in the frontal lobe. Comparisons between the groups showed a higher proportion of EEG focalities in patients with abnormal MRI, which were in most part concordant with the location of the MRI abnormalities.

Conclusions: Twenty-four percent of patients with idiopathic generalized epilepsies had MRI abnormalities. However, the majority of these abnormalities were nonspecific.

Supported by grants from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Received January 5, 2006. Accepted in final form May 9, 2006.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2006 by AAN Enterprises, Inc.