[The value of images in diagnosis of neuron migration disorders].
OBJECTIVE
To present the fitest classification and the imaging peculiarities of the malformations of cortical development, most of which have been related with the epilepsy origin.


METHODS
The study is based on an anatomical-histological classification scheme that shows three great groups of malformations of cortical development: 1. Malformations due to abnormal neuronal and glial proliferation. 2. Malformations due to abnormal neuronal migration. 3. Malformations due to abnormal cortical organization.


RESULTS
The result of these abnormalities of the cortical development is the presence of several anatomical histological entities, actually perfectly identified by the magnetic resonance (MR), especially with the new high resolution methods. The most frequent entities, such as polymicrogyria, lissencephaly, pachygyria, schizencephaly, cerebral heterotopia (cortical, subcortical or subependymal), and other rarer types are reviewed according with the numerous references of the literature and the findings observed in the cases of our series of about one hundred patients which includes cases of every type of malformation.


CONCLUSIONS
MR is a conclusive study in order to identify and classify the malformations of cortical development, most of which are associated with neurological disturbances: epilepsy, mental retardation, language and/or behavioral problems or motor dysfunction.
Pascual-Castroviejo
I
I
Servicio de Neurologia Pediátrica, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, España.
Viaño
J
J
Roche
C
C
Martínez-Bermejo
A
A
Martínez-Fernández
V
V
Arcas
J
J
Pascual-Pascual
S I
SI
López-Martín
V
V
Tendero
A
A
Fernández-Jaén
A
A
Quijano
S
S
D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D014960:X Chromosome / Q000235:genetics