Epilepsia partialis continua: follow-up with 99mTc-HMPAO-SPECT.

A three-year-old girl with epilepsia partialis continua involving the left side of the face and the left arm and leg was followed-up by 99mTc-HMPAO-SPECT in addition to EEG and CT. Increased regional cerebral blood flow was found in the right Rolandic area in the early stage of the disease, when the CT was normal and the EEG showed marked right hemispheric slowing. Seven months later severe hypoperfusion, extending to the right fronto-temporal region, and localised hyperperfusion in the right parietal area were observed by the 99mTc-HMPAO-SPECT when CT detected right hemispheric atrophy and EEG recorded severe epileptic activity, involving even the contralateral areas. The 99mTc-HMPAO-SPECT proved to be useful for the follow-up of the dynamics of the disease process.