Tumor-related epilepsy in children

A 10-year retrospective review of 15 children with cerebral tumors and seiz ures was conducted to study the factors responsible for delay in the diagno sis of tumors and to assess outcome following surgery. Mean duration of sei zures prior to surgery was 37 months. Ninety-three percent had no focal neu rologic deficits. Head computed tomography was abnormal in 64%, whereas mag netic resonance imaging was abnormal in all patients. Electroencephalograph y showed focal abnormalities ipsilateral to the tumor in 73%. There was no surgical mortality. Eighty percent were seizure free or had rare seizures f ollowing surgery. Factors contributing to a delayed diagnosis of the brain tumor included a nonfocal neurologic examination and delay in obtaining an appropriate neuroimaging study. We believe that head magnetic resonance ima ging should be the investigation of choice in partial epilepsies.