title: Value of non-invasive testing when there are independent bitemporal seizures in the scalp EEG.
abstract: We investigated the value of non-invasive data for predicting the outcome of intracranial EEG and anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) (follow-up>1 year) in patients who have bitemporal independent seizures in the scalp EEG. No previous report has dealt with this patient group. Independent variables were duration of epilepsy, febrile seizures, interictal and ictal scalp EEG, ictal behavior, MRI, [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET (PET) and Wada test and dependent variables were surgical outcome (seizure free or not) and localized on intracranial EEG (finding all symptomatic seizures from one temporal lobe). Non-parametric statistics were used. Of 24 patients, 20 patients had IEEG, of which 12 were localized and 8 were not. Sixteen patients had ATL and, of these, 13 (81%) became seizure free and the remaining three improved. Lateralized findings on MRI and PET, a history of febrile convulsions and shorter duration of epilepsy were all associated with a focal onset on intracranial EEG, while there was a non-significant trend with ictal behavior. The non-invasive data did not predict surgical outcome. We conclude that some of these patients can do well with surgery. In most cases, intracranial EEG is necessary for localization of seizure focus, but if PET and MRI show focal abnormalities and there is a history of febrile convulsions no further evaluation could be needed. These findings need confirmation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Drexel Medical College, Hahnemann University Hospital, Mail Stop 423, Broad and Vine Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19129, USA. sjenssen@drexelmed.edu
authors.forename: Sigmund
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jenssen
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liporace
authors.forename: Maromi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nei
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: O'connor
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sperling
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D038481:Anterior Temporal Lobectomy / Q000379:methods*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012598:Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013702:Temporal Lobe; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014743:Videotape Recording