Imaging congenital brain malformations: A cause of drug-resistant epilepsy in children

Congenital brain defects are abnormalities in brain development that occur during foetal life. These anomalies can have a variety of causes, including genetic factors, intrauterine infections, maternal exposure to toxins and disturbances in the intrauterine environment. Cerebral malformations can lead to drug-resistant epilepsy, one of a variety of neurological problems. The imaging of drug-resistant epilepsy is a critically important topic, as seizures that are refractory to drug treatment pose a significant challenge for clinicians. In children with congenital brain malformations, drug resistance is particularly common. Advances in brain imaging have led to significant improvements in diagnosis, localisation of epileptogenic foci and surgical planning. The main imaging techniques used, each of which has a role to play in the management of drug-resistant epilepsy, are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and transfontaneous ultrasound (FUS). Five cases were collated to illustrate the different forms of cerebral malformations in children presenting with drug-resistant epileptic seizures at the Abderrahim Harouchi Mother and Child Hospital in Casablanca.