Open and minimally open lips schizencephaly

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Pediatric Neurology

Background:

• Schizencephaly is a rare congenital brain malformation characterized by abnormal clefts in the cerebral hemispheres.
• It can present in 'open lip' and 'minimally open lip' forms, impacting neurological development.
• Epilepsy is a common presenting symptom in patients with schizencephaly.

Observation:

• The study details two cases of isolated schizencephaly presenting with epilepsy.
• Imaging findings were analyzed to characterize the specific type of schizencephaly.

Findings:

• Both 'open lip' and 'minimally open lip' schizencephaly were observed in the presented cases.
• Characteristic features on CT scans allowed for the diagnosis of schizencephaly.
• While MRI is generally superior for congenital brain anomaly diagnosis, CT can be effective for schizencephaly.

Implications:

• These findings underscore the diagnostic utility of CT in identifying schizencephaly, particularly in resource-limited settings.
• Understanding the CT features of schizencephaly aids in the timely diagnosis and management of associated epilepsy.
• Further research into the specific radiological markers could refine diagnostic accuracy for this rare condition.