MRI Advances Improve Epilepsy Diagnosis

MRI and Epilespy

Although epilepsy is defined as recurring seizures, its diagnosis may be more difficult for some patients. Even when diagnosed, some patients do not respond to medications. New research in imaging techniques may help those patients with difficult diagnoses or treatment plans.

Epilepsy is defined as having two or more seizures without an identifiable cause. A seizure occurs when something disturbs the pattern of electrochemical signals and causes the nerve cells in the brain to fire much faster than normal. This storm of electrical activity in the brain can result in changes in mood or behavior, hallucinations, involuntary muscle contractions or loss of consciousness.

MRI, short for magnetic resonance imaging, is one of several tests used to diagnose epilepsy, in addition to blood tests and an electroencephalogram (EEG). The MRI device uses magnets and radio waves to produce detailed images of your internal tissues. When testing for epilepsy, the MRI may detect brain abnormalities through its images.

Despite the multiple diagnosis methods available, doctors may still have trouble identifying the part of your brain where the seizures occur. You may still receive medications to prevent the seizures, but they do not always help. However, without a clear diagnosis, further treatment options are limited.

Newer MRI techniques may help improve epilepsy diagnoses. Two techniques developed by British researchers focus on water in the brain. One technique examines water movement through the brain and the second examines how water interacts with proteins.

These new methods have proven their effectiveness. When testing for epilepsy, the new techniques have found signs of epilepsy in 29 percent of people who showed no evidence of the condition through standard MRIs. The new techniques may help pinpoint where the seizures occur in the brain and detect post-seizure brain damage.

In addition to diagnosing epilepsy, these new techniques can also help treat the disease. Medications prevent the seizures for most patients, but some people need surgery. However, surgery options are limited if doctors cannot identify the area of the brain where the seizures occur. These new MRI techniques improve accuracy in locating where the seizures occur and allow for the possibility of removing that part of the brain.

While these new MRI techniques are not effective for everyone, they hold promise for improving the lives for many people living with seizures.