Structural MR imaging.
Phased-array imaging at 1.5 and 3 T significantly improves image quality compared with that in routine 1.5-T head coil studies. These improvements significantly increase lesion detection in patients with focal epilepsy. Semiautomated image-analysis techniques have the potential to improve lesion detection, assess lesion burden more accurately, characterize cortical abnormalities, and determine the location and extent of associated cortical and deep gray nuclei involvement. With increasing interest in understanding the role white matter plays in epileptogenesis and seizure propagation, diffusion tensor imaging may yield useful information about changes in white matter organization. Our current multimodality imaging combines these structural imaging advances with coregistered neurophysiological information obtained with magnetoencephalography and with simultaneous EEG recordings. Our initial experience suggests that multimodality imaging will improve our ability to detect and define the extent of epileptogenic lesions.
Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. ellen@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu
P Ellen
PE
Grant
D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015225:Magnetoencephalography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D009421:Nervous System Malformations / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology