CHRONIC SEIZURE DISORDERS - CONTRIBUTION OF MR IMAGING WHEN CT IS NORMAL

Abstract

One hundred consecutive patients with complex partial seizures were studied by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT). Thirty-four patients had seizures of more than 5 yr duration, yet neurologic examinations and previous pre- and postinfusion CT scans were normal, MR imaging demonstrated surgical lesions of potentially therapeutic significance in 4 of these 34 patients. Two patients underwent surgery with removal of a thrombosed arteriovenous malformation and a glioma. Although CT detects structural abnormalities, its yield of therapeutically significant abnormalities has been low.