Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from Pakistan

OBJECTIVE: To determine the structural abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the epileptic Pakistani pediatric population presenting at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was done at the CT & MRI Center, Dr Ruth K.M Pfau Civil Hospit...

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Main Authors: Rehana Shaikh, Saba Sohail, Sabiha Zaheer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Khyber Medical University 2024-06-01
Series:Khyber Medical University Journal
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Online Access:https://www.kmuj.kmu.edu.pk/article/view/23363
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author Rehana Shaikh
Saba Sohail
Sabiha Zaheer
author_facet Rehana Shaikh
Saba Sohail
Sabiha Zaheer
author_sort Rehana Shaikh
collection DOAJ
description OBJECTIVE: To determine the structural abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the epileptic Pakistani pediatric population presenting at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was done at the CT & MRI Center, Dr Ruth K.M Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, from February 2019 to January 2020. This study enrolled 173 subjects of either gender between 1-14 years of age with epilepsy who underwent an MRI of the brain. An MRI brain with epilepsy protocol was performed after taking a history from each patient. Abnormalities were reported according to their imaging features, signal intensity, and location. RESULTS: Of the 173 subjects, 94 (54.3%) were boys and 79 (45.7%) were girls, with mean age of 6.7±3.3 years. Generalized seizures were predominant (n=103; 59.5%), followed by focal seizures (n=57; 33%), and unknown seizure patterns (n=13; 7.5%). MRI findings were unremarkable in 68 (39.3%) cases, predominantly in both generalized (35.84%) and focal (2.31%) epilepsy cases. Structural abnormalities were evident in 105 (60.7%) patients on MRI.  Cerebral atrophy was predominant (11.56%), especially in generalized epilepsy cases. Encephalomalacia (6.94%) and ventricular enlargement (6.36%) were observed, with encephalomalacia more prevalent in focal epilepsy and ventricular enlargement in generalized epilepsy. Mesial temporal sclerosis (5.7%) was significant in focal epilepsy cases. The highest prevalence of unremarkable MRI findings was in the 6-10 years’ age group (20.2%). CONCLUSION: MRI detected abnormalities in 60.7% cases of paediatric epilepsy, most commonly cerebral atrophy and encephalomalacia, emphasizing MRI's role in assessing epilepsy-related structural changes and the need for targeted interventions.
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spelling doaj-art-65777aa376264d488f2adc432d20f7392025-08-20T01:47:23ZengKhyber Medical UniversityKhyber Medical University Journal2305-26432305-26512024-06-011621293310.35845/kmuj.2024.233632135Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from PakistanRehana Shaikh0Saba Sohail1Sabiha Zaheer2Radiology Department, Dow University of Health Sciences/ Dr Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan Radiology Department, Dow University of Health Sciences/ Dr Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan Radiology Department, Sindh Govt. Hospital Ibrahim Hyderi, Karachi, PakistanOBJECTIVE: To determine the structural abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the epileptic Pakistani pediatric population presenting at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was done at the CT & MRI Center, Dr Ruth K.M Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi, from February 2019 to January 2020. This study enrolled 173 subjects of either gender between 1-14 years of age with epilepsy who underwent an MRI of the brain. An MRI brain with epilepsy protocol was performed after taking a history from each patient. Abnormalities were reported according to their imaging features, signal intensity, and location. RESULTS: Of the 173 subjects, 94 (54.3%) were boys and 79 (45.7%) were girls, with mean age of 6.7±3.3 years. Generalized seizures were predominant (n=103; 59.5%), followed by focal seizures (n=57; 33%), and unknown seizure patterns (n=13; 7.5%). MRI findings were unremarkable in 68 (39.3%) cases, predominantly in both generalized (35.84%) and focal (2.31%) epilepsy cases. Structural abnormalities were evident in 105 (60.7%) patients on MRI.  Cerebral atrophy was predominant (11.56%), especially in generalized epilepsy cases. Encephalomalacia (6.94%) and ventricular enlargement (6.36%) were observed, with encephalomalacia more prevalent in focal epilepsy and ventricular enlargement in generalized epilepsy. Mesial temporal sclerosis (5.7%) was significant in focal epilepsy cases. The highest prevalence of unremarkable MRI findings was in the 6-10 years’ age group (20.2%). CONCLUSION: MRI detected abnormalities in 60.7% cases of paediatric epilepsy, most commonly cerebral atrophy and encephalomalacia, emphasizing MRI's role in assessing epilepsy-related structural changes and the need for targeted interventions.https://www.kmuj.kmu.edu.pk/article/view/23363epilepsy magnetic resonance imagingmripediatrics nervous system malformationsstructural abnormalitiescerebral atrophydiagnostic imaging
spellingShingle Rehana Shaikh
Saba Sohail
Sabiha Zaheer
Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from Pakistan
Khyber Medical University Journal
epilepsy
magnetic resonance imaging
mri
pediatrics
nervous system malformations
structural abnormalities
cerebral atrophy
diagnostic imaging
title Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from Pakistan
title_full Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from Pakistan
title_fullStr Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from Pakistan
title_full_unstemmed Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from Pakistan
title_short Magnetic Resonance Imaging findings in pediatric patients with Epilepsy: a single-center experience from Pakistan
title_sort magnetic resonance imaging findings in pediatric patients with epilepsy a single center experience from pakistan
topic epilepsy
magnetic resonance imaging
mri
pediatrics
nervous system malformations
structural abnormalities
cerebral atrophy
diagnostic imaging
url https://www.kmuj.kmu.edu.pk/article/view/23363
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AT sabihazaheer magneticresonanceimagingfindingsinpediatricpatientswithepilepsyasinglecenterexperiencefrompakistan