title: Frontal lobe epilepsy: clinical seizure characteristics and localization with ictal 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT.
abstract: We evaluated ictal 99mtechnetium hexamethyl propylene-amine-oxime single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in 22 children with electroclinical features of frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). Ictal SPECT demonstrated unilateral frontal hyperperfusion in 20 of 22 children (91%) (one lobar, two frontocentral, six dorsolateral, six frontopolar, three orbitofrontal, one medial frontal, and one insula), concordant with electroclinical lateralization in 19 of 20 (95%). Hyperperfusion was evident in the ipsilateral basal ganglia in 16 of 22 (73%) and the contralateral cerebellum in 14 of 22 children (64%). Interictal SPECT showed unilateral, localized frontal hypoperfusion concordant with electroclinical lateralization in only two of 22 children (9%). Ictal SPECT localization to the frontocentral, media frontal, or dorsolateral regions was associated with asymmetric tonic posturing, contralateral head/eye deviation, and unilateral clonic jerking (p < 0.01). Ictal SPECT localization to the frontopolar or orbitofrontal regions was associated with vocalization, hyperventilation, truncal flexion, and complex gestural automatisms (p > or = 0.05). Ictal SPECT has the potential to (1) localize seizures in patients with intractable FLE, and (2) advance understanding of the in vivo anatomico-clinical relationships of frontal lobe seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bowe
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Shield
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Berkovic
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D017034:Epilepsy, Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime