Abstract
Seizures are the result of excessive and abnormal electrical discharges from the cortical neurons. Epilepsy, the condition of spontaneously recurring seizures, is quite common, affecting approximately 0.4–1% of the population. The epilepsy syndromes can be categorized into localized, or partial, and generalized. Generalized seizures originate from both cerebral hemispheres simultaneously. Partial seizures are generated from a localized area of the brain. These can be further divided into complex partial, with loss of consciousness, and simple partial, without loss of consciousness. Partial seizures can secondarily generalize by spread from one area to another. Seizure classification has therapeutic and prognostic values that help in the care of patients with epilepsy.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Suggested Reading
Andermann F (1997) Brain structure and epilepsy: the impact of modern imaging. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 18:302–306
Arroyo S, Freeman JM (1994) Epilepsy surgery in children: state of the art. Adv Pediatrics 41:53–81
Barkovich AJ, Kuzniecky RI, Jackson GD et al (2001) Classification system for malformation of cortical development: update 2001. Neurology 57:2168–2178
Bell GS, Sander JW (2001) The epidemiology of epilepsy: the size of the problem. Seizure 16:165–170
Berkovic SF, McIntosh AM, Kalnios RM et al (1995) Preoperative MRI predicts outcome of temporal lobectomy: an actuarial analysis. Neurology 45:1358–1363
Bernal B, Altman N (2003) Evidence-based medicine: neuroimaging of seizures. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 13:211–224
Bien CG, Widman G, Urbach H et al (2002) The natural history of Rasmussen’s encephalitis. Brain 125:1751–1759
Bladin CF, Alexandrov AV, Bellavance A et al, for the Seizures after Stroke Study Group (2000) Seizures after stroke. Arch Neurol 57:1617–1622
Bronen RA (1992) Epilepsy: the role of MR imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol 159:1165–1174
Bronen RA, Fulbright RK, Kim JH et al (1997) A systematic approach for interpreting MR images of the seizure patient. AJR Am J Roentgenol 169:241–247
Bronen RA, Fulbright RK, Spencer DD et al (1995) MR characteristics of neoplasms and vascular malformations associated with epilepsy. Magn Reson Imaging 13:1153–1162
Bronen RA, Fulbright RK, Spencer DD et al (1996) Refractory epilepsy: comparison of MR imaging, CT, and histopathologic findings in 117 patients. Radiology 201:97–105
Bronen RA, Knowlton R, Garwood M et al (2002) High resolution imaging in epilepsy. Epilepsia 43:11–18
Cendes F, Cook MJ, Watson C et al (1995) Frequency and characteristics of dual pathology in patients with lesional epilepsy. Neurology 45:2058–2064
Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League against Epilepsy (1989) Proposal for revised classification of epilepsies and epileptic syndromes. Epilepsia 30:389–399
Commission on Neuroimaging of the International League against Epilepsy (1998) Guidelines for neuroimaging evaluation of patients with uncontrolled epilepsy considered for surgery. Epilepsia 39:1375–1376
Fisher RS, Stein A, Karis J (1997) Epilepsy for the neuroradiologist. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 18:851–863
Frey LC (2003) Epidemiology of post-traumatic epilepsy: a critical review. Epilepsia 44(Suppl 10):11–17
Friedland R, Bronen R (1996) Magnetic resonance imaging of neoplastic, vascular, and indeterminate substrates. In: Cascino G, Jack CJ (eds) Neuroimaging in epilepsy: principles and practice. Butterworth-Heinemann, Newton (MA), pp 29–50
Grant PE, Barkovich AJ, Wald LL et al (1997) High-resolution surface-coil MR of cortical lesions in medically refractory epilepsy: a prospective study. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 18:291–301
Jack CJ, Sharbrough FW, Cascino GD et al (1992) Magnetic resonance image-based hippocampal volumetry: correlation with outcome after temporal lobectomy. Ann Neurol 31:138–146
Li LM, Cendes F, Andermann F et al (1999) Surgical outcome in patients with epilepsy and dual pathology. Brain 122:799–805
Quigg M, Bertram EH, Jackson T, Laws E (1997) Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging evidence of bilateral hippocampal atrophy in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia 38:588–594
Raymond AA, Fish DR, Sisodiya SM et al (1995) Abnormalities of gyration, heterotopias, tuberous sclerosis, focal cortical dysplasia, microdysgenesis, dysembryo-plastic neuroepithelial tumour and dysgenesis of the archicortex in epilepsy. Clinical, EEG and neuroimaging features in 100 adult patients. Brain 118:629–660
Rugg-Gunn FJ, Eriksson SH, Symms MR et al (2002) Diffusion tensor imaging in refractory epilepsy. Lancet 359:1748–1751
Rugg-Gunn FJ, Eriksson SH, Symms MR et al (2003) Magnetization transfer imaging in focal epilepsy. Neurology 60:1638–1645
Spencer D (1999) Classifying the epilepsies by substrate. Clin Neurosci 19942:104–109
Wolf RL, Alsop DC, French JA et al (2001) Detection of mesial temporal lobe hypoperfusion in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy using multislice arterial spin labeled perfusion MRI. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 22:1334–1341
Yoo SY CK, Song IC, Han MH et al (2002) Apparent diffusion coefficient value of the hippocampus in patients with hippocampal sclerosis and in healthy volunteers. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 23:809–812
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2008 Springer-Verlag Italia
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Bronen, R.A., Bagley, L.J. (2008). Imaging Approaches to the Epileptic Patient. In: Hodler, J., Von Schulthess, G.K., Zollikofer, C.L. (eds) Diseases of the Brain, Head & Neck, Spine. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0840-3_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-0840-3_14
Publisher Name: Springer, Milano
Print ISBN: 978-88-470-0839-7
Online ISBN: 978-88-470-0840-3
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)