[MRI brain imaging data in children with cavum septi pellucidi and vergae]

Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is commonly known marker of neurodevelopmental brain malformation. In MR imaging it is seen either as an isolated finding or with association of others developmental brain changes e.g. cavum vergae (CV).

was to assess the frequency of CSP and CV associated with others brain developmental malformations in children. We also classified clinical syndromes in children with these structural brain malformations.

The study was performed on 55 children, hospitalised in the Department of Pediatric Neurology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, between 1998-2006 with diagnosed CSP and/or CV in MRI. There were 29 girls and 26 boys aged 4 months-16 years old. Clinical history, clinical status and neurological findings in physical examination were main indication to perform brain MRI. MRI scans was done in SE T1, FSE T2, PD, FLAIR, IR T1 sequences, 3 and 5 mm depth, in vertical, frontal and axial surfaces, performed on 1,5 T machine Signa Horizon HiSpeed General Electric.

There were 38 children with CSP, 12 children with CSP and CV, and 5 with CV. In 18/55 children (33%) CSP was isolated, but in 37/55 children (67%) CSP was coexisted with other brain structural malformations. The average age of diagnosis in isolated CSP was 10 years old, in coexisting malformation was 5 years. In half of the children, the reason of neuroimaging was epilepsy, in this 6/18 patient with isolated CSP or CV. 58% of the study group had a normal mental development, but 35% of children with additional brain malformation and 11% of children with isolated CSP and CV were mentally retarded.

1. The majority of the children with CSP and CV had also coexisting brain malformations diagnosed in MRI. 2. CSP and CV coexisting with large brain malformation e.g. dysplasia septo-optica and agenesis of corpus callosum. were diagnosed earlier. 4. Mental retardation was diagnosed in 1/3 children with different structural brain malformation but also in 11% of children with CSP and CV as well.