Preoperative evaluation for temporal lobe surgery

Abstract

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), the most common form of partial epilepsy in adults is often refractory to medical treatment and in these patients epilepsy surgery is considered. Successful surgery is dependent on accurate localisation and lateralisation of the epileptogenic zone. The preoperative evaluation involves a series of assessments and investigations including detailed clinical history, interictal EEG, video-EEG monitoring, MRI, PET, SPECT, and neuropsychology and neuropsychiatric assessment. The role of each of these investigations and assessments in the preoperative evaluation is discussed. Advanced MR techniques including magnetic resonance spectroscopy, MR diffusion and MR perfusio..