TY - JOUR
T1 - MRI findings in the diagnosis and monitoring of Rasmussen's encephalitis
AU - Faria, Andréia V.
AU - Reis, Fabiano
AU - Dabus, Guilherme C.
AU - Zanardi, Verônica A.
AU - Guerreiro, Marilisa M.
AU - Cendes, Fernando
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - Rasmussen's encephalitis is a devastating syndrome of multifocal brain dysfunction and focal seizures. Magnetic resonance (MR) findings, associated with clinical data and electroencephalogram (EEG), may indicate the diagnosis and could be an indicative of prognosis. We studied 5 patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis, assessing clinical history and MR images. All patients had refractory focal seizures with a predominant motor component associated with hemispheric atrophy, that was proportional to severity of disease and neurological deficits in these patients. Gray and white matter abnormal signal on T2 MR images were found in patients who had hemiparesis. It was not related to the duration of the disease but to aggressiveness. MR proton spectroscopy in severe disease showed lactate and choline increase and decreased NAA, reflecting neuronal and axonal loss, gliosis and elevated membrane turnover and recent - crisis (not controlled). MR studies, in addition to help in diagnosis, may be useful for monitoring metabolic changes and progression of disease in Rasmussen's encephalitis.
AB - Rasmussen's encephalitis is a devastating syndrome of multifocal brain dysfunction and focal seizures. Magnetic resonance (MR) findings, associated with clinical data and electroencephalogram (EEG), may indicate the diagnosis and could be an indicative of prognosis. We studied 5 patients with Rasmussen's encephalitis, assessing clinical history and MR images. All patients had refractory focal seizures with a predominant motor component associated with hemispheric atrophy, that was proportional to severity of disease and neurological deficits in these patients. Gray and white matter abnormal signal on T2 MR images were found in patients who had hemiparesis. It was not related to the duration of the disease but to aggressiveness. MR proton spectroscopy in severe disease showed lactate and choline increase and decreased NAA, reflecting neuronal and axonal loss, gliosis and elevated membrane turnover and recent - crisis (not controlled). MR studies, in addition to help in diagnosis, may be useful for monitoring metabolic changes and progression of disease in Rasmussen's encephalitis.
KW - Epilepsy
KW - MRI
KW - Rasmussen's encephalitis
KW - Spectroscopy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=71949128837&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=71949128837&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1590/S0004-282X2009000500002
DO - 10.1590/S0004-282X2009000500002
M3 - Article
C2 - 19838505
AN - SCOPUS:71949128837
SN - 0004-282X
VL - 67
SP - 792
EP - 797
JO - Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
JF - Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
IS - 3 B
ER -