Possibilities of Neuroimaging in Diagnostics of Symptomatic Epilepsy in Children

Abstract

Background Epilepsy is one of the most complex medical and social problem at present time. The high prevalence of the disease in paediatric population of Uzbekistan (10 per 1,000) determines the importance to develop effective measures for early diagnosis, new approaches to correction of treatment and prevention of complications of epilepsy. Objectives of the study to identify MRI findings of symptomatic epilepsy in children with inflammatory etiology such as meningoencephalitis. Materials and Methods : MRI studies were conducted with 35 children with the diagnosis of symptomatic epilepsy after meningoencephalitis. Children ages ranged from 1 year to 14 years. Results in our study the main symptoms of epilepsy after meningoencephalitis were multiple lesions of white and gray matter, their predominant bilaterality and symmetry, a clear demarcation from the surrounding tissues. In the study of 35 children who recovered from meningoencephalitis following MRI signs were found, in 5 (14.3%) cases it was midline shift of the brain, in 12 (34.3%) cases it was asymmetry of the lateral ventricles. Subarachnoid perivascular space expansion was found in 22 (62.9%) cases, which often revealed in the fronto-temporal region of the brain. Expansion of the subarachnoid space was revealed in 19 (54.3%) cases, mainly due to atrophy of the brain. Conclusion Magnetic resonance imaging has an important role in the clinical diagnostics of epilepsy, the use of which in the study of symptomatic epilepsy is one of the important conditions of adequate diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of the disease.