Finding on brain MRI mimicking focal cortical dysplasia in early Rasmussen's encephalitis: a case report and review

Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) is one of the important causes of refractory seizure. The most impressive clinical manifestation of RE is epilepsia partialis continua (EPC). Others include progressive hemiparesis and neuropsychological deterioration. Currently, the best approach to RE is hemispherectomy. We describe a patient whose clinical manifestations were compatible with RE; however, the initial brain MRI was interpreted as focal cortical dysplasia over right parietal region. The follow-up brain MRI 1 year later showed diffuse atrophy of the brain with more atrophic change in right hemisphere, and the EPC disappeared after right hemispherectomy.