Study on CT scanning technique of inferior horn of lateral ventricle

It is said that temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), one of the incurable epilepsies, results from the lesions of various structrues located in the medial and deep portion of the temporal lobe such as the hippocampus and amygdaloid nucleus. Routine CT scanning techniques cannot adequately delineate these structures in the assessment of TLE. The anatomical relationship between these medial temporal structures and the inferior horn of lateral ventricle which is lateral to them and easily identified by CT lead us to believe that the sections through the longitudinal plane of the inferior horn may clearly delineate them. The present experimental study was undertaken to develop the CT scan technique of the inferior horn of lateral ventricle, which results in the clear delineation of the region of the hippocampus and amygdaloid nucleus. As a result, A total of the 3-4 reversed axial 5 mm-thick section centered at 2.5 cm cephalad to the roof of the external auditory canal at a reversed 250 angle to ABL are adequate to delineate the inferior horn and the medial temporal structures. This scan technique is considered to be useful in the assessment of TLE. (author)