title: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic observations of epilepsia partialis continua in children.
abstract: We performed magnetic resonance spectroscopy in three pediatric patients (two boys and one girl, ages 11 to 17 years) with epilepsia partialis continua. Single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed on each patient. Data were acquired from voxels of 4 or 8 cm3 from the affected hemisphere and from contralateral homologous regions. The spectral peaks of several metabolites (N-acetyl-aspartate, choline, creatine, and lactate) were measured. Neuropathologic findings revealed Rasmussen's syndrome in two children and gliosis in one. We observed increased lactate-to-creatine ratios and reduced N-acetyl-aspartate-to-creatine ratios in the affected hemispheres in all three children with epilepsia partialis continua. These data support previous reports. The largest increase in the lactate-to-creatine ratio was detected in a patient with Rasmussen's syndrome and ongoing epilepsia partialis continua at the time of measurement. The other two patients had an increase in the lactate-to-creatine ratio and a decrease in the N-acetyl-aspartate-to-creatine ratio in the affected area. The increased lactate-to-creatine ratio was associated with recurrent focal seizures from different underlying pathologies.
authors: Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912, USA. ypark@neuro.mcg.edu
authors: Y D
authors: YD
authors: Park
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Allison
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Weiss
authors: J R
authors: JR
authors: Smith
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Lee
authors: D W
authors: DW
authors: King
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D017036:Epilepsia Partialis Continua / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005911:Gliosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline