Abstract:OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in the hippocampal volume in the acute phase after febrile convulsions (FC) in children. METHODS: The brain MRI was performed on 30 children with FC (15 simple and 15 complex) and 30 normal children (control). The hippocampal volume for both sides was compared between groups. RESULTS: In the control group, the average volume of the right hippocampus was significantly larger than that of the left side (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the hippocampal volume between the left and right sides in the FC group. The average volumes of both the left and right hippocampus in the FC group (2.03±0.25 cm3 and 2.18±0.21 cm3 respectively) were enlarged compared to the control group (1.90±0.24 cm3 and 1.97±0.20 cm3 respectively) (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the hippocampal volume between the simple and the complex FC groups. CONCLUSIONS: The hippocampal volume is enlarged in the acute phase after FC in children. The hippocampal volume in children with simple FC is similar to that in children with complex FC in the acute stage.［Chin J Contemp Pediatr, 2010, 12 (4):259-261］
