ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SIZE OF THE LATERAL VENTRICLE AND ASYMMETRY OF THE FORNIX IN PATIENTS WITH TEMPORAL-LOBE EPILEPSY

PURPOSE: Our goal was to determine whether the size of the lateral ven tricle influences asymmetry of the fornix in patients with mesial temp oral sclerosis. METHODS: The cross-sectional area of the lateral ventr icle was measured along with the thickness of the fornix in 18 patient s with pathologically proved mesial temporal sclerosis. Two additional patients with ventricular asymmetry and seizures but without mesial s clerosis were also studied. RESULTS: Ten of 18 patients with mesial te mporal sclerosis had equally sized ventricular areas or less than a 25 % difference between the two sides, In seven of these 10, the left and right fornices were equal; in the other three patients, the fornix wa s thinner on the side of mesial sclerosis, Among the eight patients wi th ventricular area differences greater than 25%, the larger ventricle was on the side of mesial sclerosis in five cases, In all of these, t he ipsilateral fornix aas thinner, In three of eight cases, the contra lateral ventricle was larger; in two, the left and right fornix were e qual; and in one, the fornix contralateral to the side of mesial scler osis was smaller, The greatest difference in fornix thickness was note d in patients with ventricular asymmetry greater than 40%, regardless of side or presence of mesial temporal sclerosis. CONCLUSION: The size of the lateral ventricle may influence the apparent thickness of the fornix.