Abstract
Establishing a noninvasive method to identify the epileptic focus is important for the treatment of patients with epilepsy. Near infrared spectroscopic topography (NIRS) is a noninvasive method to measure the regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) dynamics coupled with neuronal activities. Therefore, optical topography (multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy) was applied for detecting rCBV changes in the epileptic focus.
Optical topography was applied to 5 female patients with epilepsy; patients ranged in age from five months to 52 years of age (mean, 13.8). The rCBV dynamics was measured with an ETG 7100. Probes were placed over the scalp, including the putative epileptic focus which was estimated according to seizure symptoms, and electroencephalograms (EEGs) were performed. The rCBV dynamics during the seizures were analyzed for any changes in oxidized hemoglobin.
In all cases, rCBV changes were examined in the site where the epileptic focus was estimated to be. In a patient with West syndrome, who was believed to have generalized epilepsy, the rCBV focally increased, and the patient was diagnosed with partial epilepsy. After changes in prescription, the number of patient seizures was markedly reduced. A patient with hemimegalencephaly who underwent a functional hemispherectomy became seizure-free, according to the EEGs and rCBV changes.
