Diagnostic performance of neuroimaging modalities for epileptogenic focus localization: A systematic review
This systematic review evaluated which brain imaging techniques are best for finding the exact location where seizures start in people with drug-resistant epilepsy who need surgery. The researchers analyzed 15 studies involving 1157 patients. They found that using multiple imaging techniques together (combining structural and functional imaging) provides the most accurate results, with success rates of 82-100%. Standard MRI scans work very well (72-100% accuracy) when there is a visible brain abnormality causing seizures. However, for patients whose MRI looks normal, additional functional imaging techniques like PET or SPECT scans are crucial, achieving 63-89% accuracy. The study shows that the best imaging approach depends on the individual patient's situation: MRI should be used first when a brain lesion is suspected, but functional imaging becomes essential when MRI does not show anything abnormal. These findings help doctors choose the right combination of imaging tests for each patient to improve surgical planning and outcomes.
Authors
- Mohammed Khalil (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5188-9626)
- James Milburn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3403-2628)
- Mustafa S. Alhasan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-4401-5127)
- Seham Hamoud (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7907-0403)
- Ayman S. Alhasan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8879-4017)
- Muhammed Amir Essibayi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8325-2382)
- Fabrício Stewan Feltrin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6783-7655)
- Yasir Hassan Elhassan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0196-5413)
- Ahmed Y. Azzam (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4256-0159)
- Sumit Singh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3753-5861)
- Ahmed A. Najjar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0132-5072)
- Abdullah Almaghraby (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4956-2613)
- Omar Alharthi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1042-765X)
Institutions
- University of Suffolk (GB)
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine (US)
- Montefiore Medical Center (US)
- King Abdulaziz University (SA)
- Umm al-Qura University (SA)
- Taibah University (SA)
- Ochsner Medical Center (US)
- Clinical Research Solutions (US)
- Neurological Surgery (US)
- Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (Canada) (CA)
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Epilepsia Open
- Published
- 2025-11-10
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/epi4.70178
- Primary Topic
- Epilepsy research and treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00