Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

Early detection of brain damages in status epilepticus using apparent diffusion coefficient mapping

Satoshi Shibuya, M.D., Ph.D., Kinya Hisanaga, M.D., Ph.D., Nobuhito Seno, M.D., Takanori Oikawa, M.D., Ph.D. and Hiroshi Mochizuki, M.D., Ph.D.

Departments of Neurology and Clinical Research, Miyagi National Hospital

We report two patients of status epilepticus, in which detailed brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) studies were performed. In one patient apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) increased in the right temporopareital regions in the acute phase. This patient finally has good clinical course without neurological deficits, and abnormal findings on MRI also disappeared. In another patient ADC increased in the similar regions in the acute phase, and an MRI demonstrated cortical laminar necrosis on T1-weighted scans in the same regions in the posticteric phase about 3 months later. The patient had a poorer prognosis with moderate dementia. It has been demonstrated that increased ADC reflects extracellular edema, while decreased ADC indicates cytotoxic edema. ADC mapping appears to be useful for predicting the reversibility of brain damages due to status epilepticus.

(CLINICA NEUROL, 44: 615|617, 2004)
key words: status epilepticus, ADC map, brain damage

(Received: 24-Jan-04)