Ganglioglioma: comparison with other low-grade brain tumors.
METHODS
Forty-two patients with low-grade brain tumor and refractory epilepsy were studied. The mean age was 22.3 years. They were divided into two groups: Group A, patients with ganglioglioma (n=19) and group B, patients with other low-grade tumors (n=23) (14 astrocytoma, 6 oligodendroglioma, 2 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor, and 1 xanthoastrocytoma).


RESULTS
Age at seizures onset was 7 years or less in 73% of the patients in group A and in 30.4% of the patients in group B (p=0.045). Complex partial occurred frequently in group A and B (94.7% versus 82%, respectively). Seizures frequency was higher in group B (p=0.002). Computerized tomography (CT) was normal in 36.8% of group A patients and abnormal in all group B patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was abnormal in all patients. Surgical removal was complete in 89.5% of the patients in group A and in 78.2% of the patients in group B.


CONCLUSIONS
The association of refractory epilepsy and complex partial seizures, at a relatively low frequency, in young patients potentially normal CT and a MRI hypointense temporal lobe lesion in T1-weighed slices were habitual image findings in ganglioglioma, rather than other low-grade tumor.
Brainer-Lima
Paulo Thadeu
PT
Division of Neurosurgery, Hospital da Restauração, University of Pernambuco, Recife PE, Brazil. brainerlima@uol.com.br
Brainer-Lima
Alessandra Mertens
AM
Azevedo-Filho
Hildo Rocha
HR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D018303:Ganglioglioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005910:Glioma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome