THE STURGE-WEBER SYNDROME - CORRELATION BETWEEN THE CLINICAL STATUS AND RADIOLOGICAL CT AND MRI FINDINGS

In the Sturge-Weber syndrome facial venous and leptomeningeal angiomas are associated. We studied 14 consecutive cases with clinical and rad iological evaluations [computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)]. Radiological studies demonstrated the extent and pate ncy of the leptomeningeal angiomatous malformation, the degree of pare nchymal atrophy, the presumed ischemic changes affecting the gray and white matter, the presence and extent of cortical calcifications, the prominence of the choroid plexus, the parenchymal venous anomalies, an d the diploic prominence in the affected side. The white matter altera tions, being greater, the extent of lobar involvement, and the degree of parenchymal atrophy all correlated with the patient's clinical stat us being poorer. MRI is more efficient in the detection of the radiolo gical findings related to the clinical status: seizure control, degree of psycho-motor development and hemiparesis. Therefore, MRI is the im aging modality of choice in the diagnosis of these patients.