Presurgical evaluation of pediatric epilepsy patients prior to hemispherotomy: the prognostic value of F-FDG PET.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to investigate whether fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET (F-FDG PET) can help to predict seizure outcome after hemispherotomy and therefore may be useful in decision making and patient selection. METHODS Children and adolescents less than 18 years of age who underwent F-FDG PET studies during presurgical evaluation prior to hemispherotomy and had follow-up data of at least 12 months after surgery were included. Seizure outcome was classified according to the recommendations of the International League Against Epilepsy.

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex: new criteria for diagnostic work-up and management.

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare genetic multisystem disorder, characterized by predominantly benign tumors in potentially all organ systems. System involvement, severity of clinical symptoms and the response to treatment are age-dependent and heterogeneous. Consequently, the disorder is still not recognized in a considerable number of patients.

Beneficial effect of epilepsy surgery in a case of childhood non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis.

This 15-year-old girl had subacute onset of secondary generalized seizures, confusion, and subsequent memory decline. MRI showed bilateral hippocampal swelling progressing to unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) within 12 months. Epilepsy surgery was performed, and laboratory data were consistent with non-paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis.