Brain MRI Findings In Children With Convulsions Secondary to Covid-19 Infection

Abstract

Background: The aim of the current study was to investigate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in children who developed convulsions after COVID-19 infection. Materials and Methods: A retrospective screening was made of paediatric cases who presented at the COVID-19 pandemic clinic with suspected COVID-19 infection between March 2020 and June 2021 and were diagnosed with COVID-19 from a positive real-time polymerase chain reaction test (qRT-PCR). Non-contrast brain and diffusion MRI performed using a 3-Tesla device in all patients with convulsions. The demographic characteristics and brain MRI findings were recorded of cases with COVID-19 infection who developed convulsions. Results: Evaluation was made of 6 cases who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and developed convulsions during the disease course. There was a history of convulsions in 3 patients and recurrent convulsion attacks developed despite anticonvulsant therapy. In the other 3 cases developed convulsion, there was no history of convulsions, or additional disease. Non-contrast brain MRI was taken for etiology in all patients. In all the cases, no signal changes of acute pathologies were detected on diffusion MRI. Conclusion: COVID-19 infection can trigger convulsions even in patients with epilepsy and taking anticonvulsant therapy and may cause convulsions in previously healthy cases. Unlike in the adult patient population, COVID-19 infection was not seen to cause acute changes in brain MRI findings in the pediatric age group who developed convulsions due to COVID-19 infection.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Convulsion
• Child
• MRI

Covid-19 Enfeksiyonuna Sekonder Konvülziyon Gelişen Çocuklarda Beyin MRG Bulguları

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, COVID-19 enfeksiyonu sonrası konvülziyon gelişen çocuklarda manyetik rezonans görüntüleme (MRG) bulgularını araştırmaktı. Materyal ve Metod: Mart 2020 ile Haziran 2021 arasında COVID-19 pandemi kliniğine COVID-19 enfeksiyonu şüphesiyle başvuran ve pozitif gerçek zamanlı polimeraz zincir reaksiyonu testinden (qRT) COVID-19 tanısı alan pediatrik vakaların retrospektif taraması yapıldı. Konvülziyonlu tüm hastalara 3-Tesla cihazı kullanılarak kontrastsız beyin ve difüzyon MRG yapıldı. Konvülziyon gelişen COVID-19 enfeksiyonlu olguların demografik özellikleri ve beyin MRG bulguları kaydedildi. Bulgular: COVID-19 tanısı konan ve hastalık seyri sırasında konvülziyon gelişen 6 olgunun değerlendirilmesi yapıldı. 3 hastada konvülziyon öyküsü vardı ve antikonvülzan tedaviye rağmen tekrarlayan konvülziyon atakları gelişti. Konvülziyon gelişen diğer 3 hastada konvülziyon öyküsü veya ek hastalık yoktu. Tüm hastalarda etiyoloji için kontrastsız beyin MRG çekildi. Tüm olguların difüzyon MRG'sinde akut patolojiye ait sinyal değişikliği saptanmadı. Sonuç: COVID-19 enfeksiyonu epilepsili ve antikonvülzan tedavi alan hastalarda dahi konvülsiyonu tetikleyebilir ve önceden sağlıklı olan olgularda konvülziyona neden olabilir. Yetişkin hasta popülasyonundan farklı olarak, COVID-19 enfeksiyonuna bağlı konvülziyon gelişen pediatrik yaş grubunda COVID-19 enfeksiyonunun beyin MRG bulgularında akut değişikliklere neden olduğu görülmedi.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Konvülsiyon
• Çocuk
• MRI

Supporting Institution

YOK

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