title: Hemifacial seizures due to ganglioglioma of cerebellum.
abstract: We present a male infant with hemifacial seizures refractory to antiepileptic medication. Hemifacial spasms around the left eye were frequent during wakefulness and sleep since birth. He also had mild psychomotor retardation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large tumor in the left middle cerebellar peduncle. Ictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and ictal (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose [(18)F-FDG] positron emission tomography (PET) revealed hyperperfusion and hyper glucose metabolism at the tumor. Total removal of the tumor resulted in complete disappearance of hemifacial seizures and improved psychomotor development, indicating that the cerebellar tumor caused hemifacial seizures. A histopathological study confirmed that the tumor was a ganglioglioma. This case and the literature on similar cases indicated that this was a new epileptic syndrome originating in the cerebellum. Early diagnosis and early complete removal of the epileptogenic lesion should be recommended for this syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Child Neurology, National Center Hospital for Neurology and Psychiatry, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira Tokyo 187-8551, Japan. hanai-s@ncchd.go.jp
authors.forename: Sae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hanai
authors.forename: Ken-ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: Yoshinao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugai
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Taisuke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otsuki
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005145:Face; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D007839:Functional Laterality; D018303:Ganglioglioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18