title: Epilepsia partialis continua: acute disseminated encephalomyelitis or Rasmussen's encephalitis?
abstract: This report describes a 15-year-old male presenting with headaches and seizures after a viral illness progressing to intractable seizures of the right hand and face. This patient presented with diffuse white matter lesions on magnetic resonance imaging which disappeared with treatment. A relapse 6 months later involving the left temporal and insular regions produced epilepsia partialis continua involving the right face and hand. The relevant literature is reviewed with an emphasis on possible etiologies, including both acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and Rasmussen's encephalitis.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ramaswamy
authors.forename: D Barry
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Sinclair
authors.forename: B Matt
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Wheatley
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Richer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Snyder
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004673:Encephalomyelitis, Acute Disseminated / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017036:Epilepsia Partialis Continua / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male