[Comparison between the informative value of electroencephalography and cranial computer tomography in childhood...

Using electroencephalography and cranial computerized tomography, the authors examined 100 infants and young children suffering from epileptic attacks. The children were divided into three groups: the first one comprised children with grand mal epilepsy, the second those with focal fits and the third those with paroxysms of myoclonic convulsions. The EEG and CT findings were coded according to their diagnostic value as to the presence of the epileptic process. It was demonstrated that in contrast to the EEG which yields information about the presence of cerebral pathology in 92% of all observations, CT provides such information in only 35% while giving no evidence about substantial differences between various forms of epileptic attacks. Focal changes detected by the EEG were compared with local changes shown by CT.