MR of the cerebral operculum: abnormal opercular formation in infants and children.
Publication/Presentation Date
8-1-1996
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate abnormalities of the cerebral operculum in infants and children and to propose the embryogenic basis of abnormal opercular formation as determined from MR imaging findings.
METHODS: Eighty-six infants and children who had abnormally wide interopercular distances and/or distorted opercular topography seen on MR images were studied retrospectively. Clinically, patients presented with tonal abnormalities, macrocephaly, microcephaly, seizures, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, or facial dysmorphism. The abnormal opercula were compared with developing opercula at different stages of gestation.
RESULTS: Among the 86 infants and children, two categories of opercular abnormalities were identified: an underdeveloped operculum (n = 64) and a malformed operculum (n = 22). The malformed operculum was further classified into three subtypes: nonformation of the operculum with lissencephaly (n = 1, 1%), abnormal opercular formation with pachygyria (n = 11, 13%), and nonformation or abnormal formation of the operculum without pachygyria or lissencephaly (n = 10, 12%). Two subtypes of the underdeveloped operculum were identified: an open operculum without a normal insula (n = 6, 7%) and an open operculum with a normal insula (n = 58, 67%). The five subtypes of abnormal opercular configuration showed a range of maturity that was comparable to the developing operculum at different ages.
CONCLUSION: Opercular anomalies appear to follow sequentially predetermined normal steps in development. Arrest in opercular development or malformation may occur after an initial insult. MR imaging is the method of choice by which to identify these abnormalities.
Volume
17
Issue
7
First Page
1303
Last Page
1311
ISSN
0195-6108
Published In/Presented At
Chen, C. Y., Zimmerman, R. A., Faro, S., Parrish, B., Wang, Z., Bilaniuk, L. T., & Chou, T. Y. (1996). MR of the cerebral operculum: abnormal opercular formation in infants and children. AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology, 17(7), 1303–1311.
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences | Pediatrics
PubMedID
8871716
Department(s)
Department of Pediatrics
Document Type
Article