| Authors | S Attard S White |
| Abstract | Objectives: Focal seizures may be the first sign of a neurological problem in acutely ill infants and children and they may manifest only on EEG without any clinical signs. There is a lack of studies that address the value of neuroimaging in acutely ill infants and children with focal seizures. This retrospective case note study of 51 infants and children receiving intensive care, aims to answer the following questions: (a) do focal seizures correlate with imaging abnormalities and (b) what percentage of focal electrographic seizures have no clinical accompaniment? Methods: Clinical information and video electroencephalograms of 51 children in ICU with focal seizures were reviewed. Neuroimaging results relative to these cases were then reviewed, looking for a correlation between clinical, EEG and neuroimaging data. Results: 78% of patients had electrographic-only focal seizures and the remaining 22% had clinical signs of seizure activity. 82% of imaging results were abnormal of which 55% showed a focal abnormality. 79% of patients with a focal abnormality had a direct EEG / imaging correlation and the most common underlying pathology in these cases was hypoxic / vascular brain injury. Conclusion: 4/5 of acutely ill infants and children with focal seizures will be electrographic seizures, and 1/3 of the same group of children will have a corresponding neuroimaging abnormality. |
Published in: | |
| Journal | Malta Medical Journal |
| Volume | 15 Issue 1-2/suppl. 2003 |
| Pages | - |
| Date | |
| Link to journal | |
| Key words | focal seizures, neuroimaging |