Brain imaging of children with postischemic seizures

Abstract

Background: Arterial ischemic stroke is a rare disease found in the pediatric population, with an incidence of 2-13 out of 100000 children per year. Children develop seizures more often in the initial phase of stroke compared to adults. Material and methods: There have been included children examined by brain MRI hospitalized in the department of neurology (early aged children), Hospital of Mother and Child Health Care, with a diagnose of ischemic stroke, with an acute focal neurological syndrome installed. The children not having an imagistic confirmation of arterial ischemic stroke were excluded. Results: The study lot was composed of 78 children, who corresponded to all the inclusion criteria for this study (Tab.1). The children were examined by 1.5T and 3T MRI with multiplanar assessment of brain structures. In cases with acute / subacute stroke specific diffusion sequences (DWI and ADC) were applied to determine the type of stroke, approximate installation period. Ischemic brain lesions on MRI are presented by areas of cytotoxic edema in acute/ subacute cases, in chronic / late cases by the appearance of changes such as lacunar defects, areas of encephalomalacia. Conclusions: The vast majority of children with brain lesions on MRI have convulsions with early onset and have developed recurrent seizures after the acute phase of stroke.