Child's Nervous System

, Volume 27, Issue 8, pp 1197–1202 | Cite as

Fiber tractography assessment in double cortex syndrome

  • Paola Iannetti
  • Francesco Nicita
  • Alberto Spalice
  • Pasquale Parisi
  • Laura Papetti
  • Alberto Verrotti
Case-Based Update
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Introduction

Subcortical band heterotopia (SBH) or double cortex syndrome is a malformation of cortical development that may be related to intractable epilepsy and severe mental retardation or to mild epilepsy and slight mental delay or normal cognitive functions. Several studies have been performed using neuroradiological or neurophysiological techniques, like SPECT, PET, MRS, fMRI, and MEG, in attempt to better characterize this neuronal migration disorder. Recently, also diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fiber tracking (FT) have been used to investigate on white matter anomalies in SBH, adding more information about such gray matter anomaly.

Methods

We report on three cases of SBH, evaluated with MRI, DTI, and FT.

Conclusions

The data gathered from DTI and TF allow us to hypothesize a new functional role for heterotopic gray matter.

Keywords

Double cortex Epilepsy DTI fiber tracking Subcortical band heterotopia 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Claudio Di Biasi, MD and Gian Franco Gualdi, MD—Unit of Radiology, Emergency Department, Rome—for the neuroradiological evaluation of the three patients. We also acknowledge Saadi Sollaku, Angelo Pittalis, and Stefano Caprasecca—Unit of Radiology, Emergency Department, Rome—for elaborating FT and DTI imaging. English editing was performed by International Science Editing, Ireland.

Disclosure

We confirm that we have read the journal's position on issues involved in ethical publication and affirm that this report is consistent with those guidelines.

Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2011

Authors and Affiliations

  • Paola Iannetti
    • 1
  • Francesco Nicita
    • 1
  • Alberto Spalice
    • 1
  • Pasquale Parisi
    • 2
  • Laura Papetti
    • 1
  • Alberto Verrotti
    • 3
  1. 1.Department of Pediatrics, Child Neurology DivisionPoliclinico “Umberto I”, “Sapienza” University of RomeRomeItaly
  2. 2.Department of Pediatric, Pediatric Sleep Disorders Centre“Sapienza” University of Rome, II Faculty of MedicineRomeItaly
  3. 3.Department of PediatricsUniversity of ChietiChietiItaly

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