Value of non-invasive testing when there are independent bitemporal seizures in the scalp EEG

• Published in: Epilepsy research Vol. 68; no. 2; pp. 115 - 122
• Main Authors: Jenssen, Sigmund, Liporace, Joyce, Nei, Maromi, O’Connor, Michael J., Sperling, Michael R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-02-2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Anterior Temporal Lobectomy - methods; Bilateral; Biological and medical sciences; EEG; Electrodiagnosis. Electric activity recording; Electroencephalography; Epilepsy; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe - diagnosis; Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe - surgery; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Headache. Facial pains. Syncopes. Epilepsia. Intracranial hypertension. Brain oedema. Cerebral palsy; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Positron-Emission Tomography; Preoperative Care - methods; Retrospective Studies; Sclerosis - pathology; Seizures - diagnosis; Statistics, Nonparametric; Surgical treatment; Temporal Lobe; Treatment Outcome; Videotape Recording; Temporal lobe; Bilateral; Surgical treatment; Epilepsy; EEG; Prognosis; Temporal lobectomy; Electrophysiology; Complex partial epilepsy; Electroencephalography; Febrile convulsion; Surgery; Stereoelectroencephalography; Neurological disorder; Human; Nervous system diseases; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Cerebral disorder; Treatment; Scalp; Central nervous system disease; Temporal lobe epilepsy; Positron emission tomography; Positron; Emission tomography
• ISSN: 0920-1211; 1872-6844
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2005.10.007

We investigated the value of non-invasive data for predicting the outcome of intracranial EEG and anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) (follow-up
>
1 year) in patients who have bitemporal independent seizures in the scalp EEG. No previous report has dealt with this patient group. Independent variables were duration of epilepsy, febrile seizures, interictal and ictal scalp EEG, ictal behavior, MRI, [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose–PET (PET) and Wada test and dependent variables were surgical outcome (seizure free or not) and localized on intracranial EEG (finding all symptomatic seizures from one temporal lobe). Non-parametric statistics were used. Of 24 patients, 20 patients had IEEG, of which 12 were localized and 8 were not. Sixteen patients had ATL and, of these, 13 (81%) became seizure free and the remaining three improved. Lateralized findings on MRI and PET, a history of febrile convulsions and shorter duration of epilepsy were all associated with a focal onset on intracranial EEG, while there was a non-significant trend with ictal behavior. The non-invasive data did not predict surgical outcome. We conclude that some of these patients can do well with surgery. In most cases, intracranial EEG is necessary for localization of seizure focus, but if PET and MRI show focal abnormalities and there is a history of febrile convulsions no further evaluation could be needed. These findings need confirmation.