Neuro-lmages of Patients with Infantile Spasm

Abstract

With the intention of assessing the neuro-imaging, clarifying the percentages of symptomatic, idiopathic and cryptogenic cases and identifying the underlying causes, records were reviewed retrospectively of 30 children with infantile spasm admitted to Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. Twenty-three patients were symptomatic, four idiopathic and three cryptogenic. Brain CT and MRI scans of 13 cases detected similar neuro-imaging findings in nine cases while MRI provided more information in another four cases. Three patients had normal neuro-images despite persistently abnormal EEGs. We conclude that MRI scans are superior to CT scans in detecting areas of cortical dysgenesis, disorders of neuronal migration, or disorders of myelination although more advanced studies are required for patients with persistently abnormal EEGs but normal MRIs.