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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · International Journal of Epilepsy 2014; 01(01): 001-007
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijep.2014.05.003
Original Article
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Diffusion tensor imaging correlates of hippocampal sclerosis and anterior temporal lobe T2 signal changes in pharmacoresistant epilepsy

Kevin Spitler
a   Department of Radiological Science, University of California at Los Angeles, USA
,
Francis Tirol
b   Department of Neurology, University of California at Los Angeles, USA
,
Itzhak Fried
c   Department of Neurosurgery, University of California at Los Angeles, USA
,
Jerome Engel Jr
b   Department of Neurology, University of California at Los Angeles, USA
,
Noriko Salamon
a   Department of Radiological Science, University of California at Los Angeles, USA
› Author Affiliations
Subject Editor:
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 29 January 2013

Accepted: 24 May 2014

Publication Date:
04 May 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Background and purpose Our goal was to determine fiber tract integrity in hippocampal sclerosis (HS) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and to correlate white matter damage with other pathology in this disease.

Methods Twenty-six patients and eight controls were studied with DTI tractography for 8 pairs of white matter fiber tracts and 2 commissural tracts. Fractional anisotropy (FA) of the fiber tracts was compared with controls. The FA of select fiber tracts was also compared with change in T2 signal in the anterior temporal lobe (ATC), and the performance on neuropsychological tests.

Results In comparison with controls, subjects with left sided hippocampal sclerosis (L-HS) had 3 ipsilateral fiber tracts with decreased FA. The FA of fiber tracts was similar in right sided HS (R-HS) to controls. The ipsilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus had a decrease in FA that correlated with the ATC (T2 signal change). The right superior longitudinal fasciculus had a decrease in FA proportional to lower performance on tests of memory and language.

Conclusion The subjects with L-HS had more extensive structural abnormalities involving white matter tracts, both ipsilateral and contralateral. In contrast, subjects with R-HS had limited changes in white matter integrity. Pathology of white matter appears to be involved in deficits associated with HS, including ATC and cognitive performance.

Keywords

Hippocampal sclerosis - Diffusion tensor imaging - Anterior temporal lobe
 

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