Imaging in epilepsy: a paediatric perspective.
Assessment of a child with epilepsy involves a number of key stages, the most crucial being clinical evaluation where the presence of seizure activity and seizure type is identified. Subsequent imaging is not required in all children. In those selected for further investigation, imaging techniques are broadly divided into structural and functional studies. MRI currently provides the best structural data, with nuclear medicine and specialized MR techniques giving supportive functional information. CT now has a much diminished role. This review highlights the role of different imaging modalities in the investigation of childhood epilepsy, as well as some of the practicalities of imaging children, and areas where recent advances have been made. It is hoped that the overview and information provided will help both the specialist and the general radiologist make informed decisions regarding how to best image a child with epilepsy.
Wright
N B
NB
Royal Liverpool Children's NHS Trust, Alder Hey, Eaton Road, Liverpool L12 2AP, UK.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D018579:Patient Selection; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013577:Syndrome; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods