title: Difficulties in differentiation of Parry-Romberg syndrome, unilateral facial sclerodermia, and Rasmussen syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parry-Romberg syndrome (progressive facial hemiatrophy) is a unilateral, slowly progressive atrophy affecting the skin, subcutaneous tissues, muscles, and bones. The relationship between Parry-Romberg syndrome and connective tissue disorders, especially scleroderma en coup de sabre, is still unclear. The neurological symptoms, including epilepsy, migraine, and brain lesion, on neuroimaging may be similar. Rasmussen encephalitis (RE) is connected with chronic inflammation and damage of one hemisphere. Clinically, it is manifested by epileptic partial seizures and unilateral neurological symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors present the case of a 10-year-old girl with features suggestive of RE, with refractory partial motor dextrolateral seizures followed by development of hemiparesis and with progressive intellectual deterioration. At the age of 2 years, some changes on the left part of the face typical of Parry-Romberg syndrome or a linear form of scleroderma were noticed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors discussed the difficulties in differential diagnosis in that patient. The presented girl constitute the case from the borderline zone of the aforementioned disorders.
authors.affiliation: Departament of Pediatric Neurology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland. justyna.paprocka@interia.pl
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paprocka
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jamroz
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adamek
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marszal
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mandera
mesh_terms: D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005146:Facial Asymmetry / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005150:Facial Hemiatrophy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D012594:Scleroderma, Localized / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery