The correlation of seizure characteristics and hippocampal volumetric magnetic resonance imaging findings in children with idiopathic partial epilepsy

Cerebral volumetric measurements based on magnetic resonance imaging have been established as advanced morphometric techniques with anatomic and clinical utility in adults and children with epilepsy. This study investigated the cerebral and hippocampal volumes in children with idiopathic partial epilepsy to detect the factors correlated with volume reduction. Magnetic resonance imaging volumetric measurements were performed of the total cerebral and hippocampal formation volumes in 30 patients with idiopathic partial epilepsy between 3 to 18 years old. The cerebral and the total, right, and left hippocampal volumes of the study and control patients were detected using volumetric magnetic resonance imaging, and the volumes were compared between the 2 groups. In study patients, the correlation between volumetric findings and seizure characteristics was evaluated. The results suggested that children with idiopathic partial epilepsy had significant hippocampal volume reduction that was not influenced by the age of onset and the duration of epilepsy.