Electroencephalographic Features of Rasmussen's Encephalitis by Stage.

Ryu,  Hye Won; Yoo,  Il Han; Kim,  Hunmin; Lim,  Byung Chan; Hwang,  Hee; Chae,  Jong Hee; Choi,  Jieun; Kim,  Ki Joong; Hwang,  Yong Seung

doi:2014.22.2.52

Ann Child Neurol > Volume 22(2); 2014 > Article

Original Article

Journal of the Korean Child Neurology Society 2014;22(2):52-57.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26815/jkcns.2014.22.2.52 Published online June 30, 2014.

Electroencephalographic Features of Rasmussen's Encephalitis by Stage.

Hye Won Ryu, Il Han Yoo, Hunmin Kim, Byung Chan Lim, Hee Hwang, Jong Hee Chae, Jieun Choi, Ki Joong Kim, Yong Seung Hwang

¹Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. hunminkim@hanmail.net
²Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
³Pediatric Clinical Neuroscience Center, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
⁴Department of Pediatrics, SMG-SNU Boramae Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristic electroencephalographic features in Rasmussen's encephalitis by stage. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with Rasmussen's encephalitis at Seoul National University Children's Hospital were retrospectively assessed. We analyzed the background activities and epileptiform discharges from electroencephalography (EEG) findings to identify the characteristic EEG features by stage. RESULTS: Seven patients were included in the study. The mean age of first seizure onset was 6.7 years, and the mean duration of the prodromal phase was 21.4 months. During disease course, background activities, such as slow waves, were more prominent and diffuse, and contralateral slow waves were observed. In most patients, focal epileptiform discharges were observed during all stages without change. CONCLUSION: As Rasmussen's encephalitis progresses, background abnormalities in the affected hemisphere increased, and contralateral slow waves occurred. However, characteristic EEG findings that were distinguishable at each stage were not observed.

Key Words: Rasmussen Encephalitis, Epilepsy, Electroencephalographic