Hippocampal T2 abnormalities correlate with antecedent events and help predict seizure intractability

Abstract

Introduction: We performed hippocampal T2 relaxometry as part of a routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination in 50 normal controls and 127 consecutive patients referred because of suspected seizures. Methods: On the basis of T2 values in controls (100.2 ± 4.2 ms) we defined normal as < 110 ms ( 113 ms (> mean + 3 SD). Results: After detailed investigation, 103 of these 127 patients had epilepsy and 24 did not. In the nonepilepsy group, none had abnormal hippocampal T2 values. Twenty-seven of the 103 patients in the epilepsy group had abnormal values, 7 were borderline and 69 were normal. Only 5 patients with abnormal T2 values did not have temporal lobe epilepsy: 1 had extratempor..