Focal cortical dysplasia of the temporal lobe with late-onset partial epilepsy: serial quantitative MRI

We describe serial studies of focal cortical dysplasia causing temporal lob e seizures and progressive aphasia in a 54-year-old woman. Initially, MRI v olumetry of the temporal lobes showed significant left cortical thickening corresponding to an elevated amino-acid uptake in the left temporoparietal and inferior frontal cortex on SPECT using 3-[I-123]iodo-alpha-methyl-L-tyr osine (IMT). After 1 year there was severe shrinkage of the left temporal l obe, possibly the result of recurrent complex partial seizures.