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Epilepsy Pathology, It, Imperative, And Temporal Sclerosis ( Mts ) And Focal Cortical Cortical Dysplasia Essay

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In discussing epilepsy pathology, it is imperative to discuss mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) and focal cortical dysplasia (FCD). As these topics are covered in the Pathophysiology chapter of this book, they will not be covered in detail in this chapter. It is worth noting, however, that it is essential for the epileptologist to be able to readily identify the radiographic findings associated with these disorders, such as decreased hippocampal volume and increased T2/flair signal in MTS, and the transmantle sign in FCD. These findings are not only key in the diagnosis of these disorders, but also in surgical planning and prognostication of surgical outcome, in which MTS has been shown to be significantly where the abnormality can be visualized in MRI as compared to cases in which the MRI is normal. Another important point about MTS is that there is currently an unresolved debate regarding whether the pathological findings are the cause of the seizures or the result of seizures, and many are in the opinion that both of these elements may be at play, suggesting that the disease process is a self-perpetuating cycle that can be disrupted by early and aggressive treatment. This chapter will discuss pathology as it pertains to some of the many other causes of epilepsy. These include neoplastic and other mass lesions such as vascular anomalies, neurocutaneous syndromes, infectious and inflammatory causes, cortical malformations, chromosomal causes and metabolic causes. NEOPLASMS

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