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Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Infantile Spasms: Effects of Hormonal Therapy
Author(s) -
Konishi Yukuo,
Yasujima Miki,
Kuriyama Masonori,
Konishi Kaoru,
Hayakawa Katsumi,
Fuji Yasushi,
Ishii Yasushi,
Sudo Masakatsu
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
epilepsia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.687
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1528-1167
pISSN - 0013-9580
DOI - 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1992.tb02320.x
Subject(s) - magnetic resonance imaging , medicine , hormonal therapy , neuroscience , pediatrics , psychology , radiology , prostate cancer , cancer
Summary: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was per‐formed on five patients with infantile spasms who were treated with relatively low doses of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) to study the extent of brain shrinkage induced by ACTH therapy. MRI prior to ACTH therapy revealed periventricular hyperintensity (PVH) areas and poor myelination in four patients. In one case, MRI per‐formed 2 days after initiation of ACTH therapy also showed PVH and poor myelination. Brain shrinkage was observed 2 weeks after initiation of ACTH therapy. The most impressive follow‐up finding upon MRI was the de‐crease in PVH found in four patients. The differentiation between myelinated white matter and surrounding cortex became poorer in three cases. Cortical atrophy progressed in all patients but ventricular dilation progressed in only one patient. At the end of ACTH therapy, ventricular dilation progressed in all cases. These findings suggest that loss of water not only from periventricular white matter but also from cortex is the main etiological factor of brain shrinkage induced by ACTH.