Focal seizures, early veins, and increased flow

Prominent early draining veins have been found in angiograms of four patients studied during an acute benign illness characterized by repetitive focal motor seizures and prominent postictal neurologic deficits. Concomitant intravenous radionuclide gamma camera flow and static images showed increased relative perfusion with a slight positive static uptake on the involved side. Follow-up studies showed no evidence of these abnormalities. These angiographic and radioisotopic findings probably correlate with the clinically observed cortical hyperemia as part of, or subsequent to, focal motor seizures. Alternatively, these findings suggest the possibility that vascular occlusions may be the underlying cause of the patients' illness.