RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 MR of Neuronal Migration Anomalies
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1009
OP 1017
VO 8
IS 6
A1 A. James Barkovich
A1 Sylvester H. Chuang
A1 David Norman
YR 1987
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/8/6/1009.abstract
AB Migration anomalies are congenital malformations caused by insults to migrating neuroblasts during the third to fifth gestational months. Included in this group are agyria, pachygyria, polymicrogyria, unilateral megalencephaly, schizencephaly, and gray matter heterotopias. Patients who have these conditions present clinically with developmental delay and seizures, and abnormal motor skills are noted in the more severely affected infants. To determine the utility of MR as a method for imaging in these patients, we used MR to evaluate 13 patients who had the full spectrum of migration anomalies. MR was more sensitive than CT in detecting these anomalies because of its better contrast between gray and white matter. We found that MR was particularly more sensitive in detecting schizencephaly, where recognizing the presence of gray matter lining the cleft is critical to distinguishing that disease from porencephaly, and in detecting polymicrogyria, where critical details of cortical architecture are obscured on CT by the overlying bone. Multiplanar capabilities were also found to be essential, since narrow clefts may not be detected when the imaging plane is parallel to the cleft. MR should be the primary imaging method for infants who have seizures or developmental delay.