Computed tomography in partial epilepsies in childhood.

The CT investigations of 156 children with partial epilepsies are analyzed. Pathological findings appeared in 39%, particularly atrophic changes and porencephalic lesions. According to the seizure type their incidence was higher in children who had secondary generalized seizures (46%) than in children with isolated partial seizures (30%) or complex partial seizures with or without secondary generalization (16%). Furthermore, pathological findings occurred more frequently in children with perinatal etiology (37%) than in familial (26%) or idiopathic cases (10%). A symptomatic epilepsy due to a cerebral tumor or a vascular lesion was found in 10%. There was a high correlation between neurodevelopmental disturbances and abnormal CT findings, however also 17 neurological normal children had pathological CT findings.