Various findings in surgically treated epilepsy patients with dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors in comparison with those of patients with other low-grade brain tumors and other neuronal migration disorders.

PURPOSE: To determine whether dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumors (DNTs) that belong to the neuronal migration disorders (NMDs) are to be classified with them or with "other low-grade brain tumors" regarding several etiologic, clinical, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and EEG findings.

METHODS

These findings of 21 DNT patients were compared with those of 13 consecutive patients with other low-grade brain tumors and 41 NMD patients.

RESULTS

The result is absolutely clear: nearly all findings in DNT patients (complications during pregnancy, birth, the newborn period and the postnatal period, age at first seizure, epileptic syndrome, seizure type, febrile seizures, retarded milestones, intellectual and neurologic deficits, MRI, interictal and ictal EEG findings) being similar or in agreement with those of other low-grade brain tumors, not with those of other NMDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Regarding various clinical features including surgery outcome, MRI, and EEG findings, DNTs should be classified with the other low-grade brain tumors, rather than with NMDs.