title: Correlation of severity of FDG-PET hypometabolism and interictal regional delta slowing in temporal lobe epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the association of severity of hypometabolism detected by positron emission tomography (PET) with [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and persistence of interictal EEG focal slowing in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty temporal lobes of 40 consecutive patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (mean age, 43.5 years) were studied. All patients underwent video-EEG monitoring, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and FDG-PET. Patients with either normal MRI or with unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis, but no other structural abnormality, were included. Interictal EEG delta slowing was graded as none, infrequent (one episode or less/hour), intermediate (more than one episode/hour), or continuous. PET hypometabolism was graded as none, mild, moderate, or severe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The severity of temporal lobe hypometabolism with PET was significantly correlated with the amount of delta activity in the interictal EEG, independent of MRI findings (Spearman r = 0.46; p < 0.0005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This observation suggests related underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms for metabolic and electrical dysfunction in temporal lobe epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Washington University in St Louis, School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erbayat Altay
authors.forename: A James
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Fessler
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Hrayr P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Attarian
authors.forename: Farrokh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dehdashti
authors.forename: Victoria J
authors.initials: VJ
authors.lastname: Vahle
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ojemann
authors.forename: Joshua L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Dowling
authors.forename: Frank G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Gilliam
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003700:Delta Rhythm / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000378:metabolism; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014743:Videotape Recording
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18