Evaluation of SPECT in the assessment and treatment of intractable childhood epilepsy

Abstract

The authors retrospectively examined the role of SPECT in 65 children undergoing video-EEG telemetry. SPECT was concordant in most children whose lesions were already localized by MRI and epilepsy syndrome and provided localizing data in more than half not localized by these modalities. Ictal SPECT provided no additional prognostic benefit in patients undergoing epilepsy surgery (n = 23) who have a localized MRI lesion. In patients without lesions, however, ictal SPECT provides useful additional localization that may be used as a guide to intracranial implantation.