Multifocal dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor showing various imaging findings: A case report

Abstract

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) is a type of brain tumor that causes refractory epilepsy. We present the case of a 13-year-old boy with temporal lobe epilepsy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple lesions in the right temporal lobe, basal ganglia, deep white matter, and lateral ventricle. Serial MRI showed morphological changes of contrast-enhanced lesions, but fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) revealed hypometabolic lesions. Subtraction ictal single-photon emission computed tomography coregistered to MRI (SISCOM) and ictal electroencephalography (EEG) suggested the seizure onset zone might be located in the right temporal lobe. We performed right temporal lobectomy, and pathological diagnosis confirmed DNT. At one year post-surgery, the patient has achieved seizure-free status, and the remaining lesions have not increased. Multifocal DNT is extremely rare, and treatment strategy was difficult to determine in this case. Surgery should be performed when appropriate after clarifying the treatment purpose.