MR in partial epilepsy: value of high-resolution volumetric techniques.

PURPOSE To assess the utility of high-resolution volumetric MR examinations with thin partition size for patients with simple partial epilepsies that were well located with electrical and clinical criteria. METHODS Fifteen patients with normal standard MR findings were studied with three-dimensional Fourier transform volumetric MR examinations using thin (1 to 1.5 mm) partition size. Imaging was done in the coronal plane, then reformatted manually on an independent console with each gyrus analyzed in the planes parallel and perpendicular to its axis. RESULTS Cortical abnormalities were detected in 8 of the 15 patients in the study. Surgical resection of the affected cortex in 2 patients showed polymicrogyria in one and dysplastic cortical organization in the other. CONCLUSION In this preliminary study, 3-D Fourier transform volumetric MR examinations with thin partition size appeared to be useful in identifying cortical dysplasias in patients with localized simple partial epilepsies.