title: Venous pattern of polymicrogyria detected by susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI).
abstract: We report a case of a 9-year-old boy presenting with spastic-dystonic movement disorder of the right arm. MRI showed vast unilateral left-sided polymicrogyria (PMG) with perisylvian, temporal, frontal, and parietal location. Corresponding to the distinctly reduced gyration, the focal pattern of cortical veins in susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) was absent due to missing sulcal depth. In contrast, adjacent regions with sufficient sulcal depth revealed a pattern with numerically increased and finer cortical veins. Therefore, with its atypical venous pattern SWI indicates an abnormal parenchymal anatomy and might be an additional helpful tool for diagnosing PMG.
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ; Institute of Radiology, Tiefenau Hospital, Spital Netz Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Rajeev K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weisstanner
authors.affiliation: Division of Neuropaediatrics, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Susi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strozzi
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland ; University Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lang
keywords: Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI); cortical malformation; cortical veins; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); polymicrogyria (PMG)