DIAGNOSIS OF OCCIPITAL LOBE EPILEPSY

Abstract

Objective. The study aimed to investigate the significance of MRI and video electro-encephalography (EEG) monitoring in diagnosis of occipital lobe epilepsy.

Materials and methods. The study involved 103 patients aged 2-17 years old who were diagnosed with occipital lobe epilepsy. All patients underwent brain MRI scans using a CT scanner 1.5 TL in the T1 and T2 modes in the axial, sagittal and frontal planes. For video electro-encephalography monitoring the EEG-recorder Encephalan 9 was used.

Results. For the analysis of MRI studies in patients with occipital epilepsy, we grouped the patients as follows: with signs of perinatal brain lesions – 39 patients (38%), with congenital abnormalities of brain development – 26 patients (25%), and those with no pathological findings in the brain structures – 38 (37%). The EEG monitoring results revealed no deviations from the normal background rhythm in 27 patients (26%). Fifty patients (49%) demonstrated abnormalities of the alpha rhythm. In 26 patients (25%) a slowdown of the background rhythm was detected. The results demonstrated that a slowdown and abnormalities of the background rhythm occurred more often in children with symptomatic occipital lobe epilepsy, while these EEG changes occurred the least in patients with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. All patients showed the epileptiform activities manifested by the “peak – slow wave” complexes similar to the benign epileptiform rhythm patterns.

Conclusion. The results obtained from the brain MRI studies in patients with occipital lobe epilepsy indicate that the perinatal brain damage has a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. The EEG results show that the EEG patterns in Panayiotopoulos Syndrome are more variable as compared to Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and symptomatic occipital lobe epilepsy.