Utility of MR fingerprinting in differentiating epileptogenic from non-epileptogenic cortical malformations.

Objective: This study investigates the potential of magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) as a non-invasive method to differentiate epileptogenic from non-epileptogenic cortical malformations.

Methods: Sixty-nine subjects were included: four patients with complex cortical malformations who underwent detailed pre-surgical assessments including Stereo-EEG (SEEG) and/or subsequent surgery, 17 with histopathologically confirmed FCD II, and 48 healthy controls (HC). All subjects underwent a whole-brain 3 T MRF acquisition, the reconstruction of which generated T1 and T2 relaxometry maps.

Multifractal spatiotemporal dynamics in human epileptiform stereoelectroencephalography recordings.

Multifractal formalism introduces an invaluable framework for the investigation of nonlinear, scale-invariant features across multiple time scales in non-stationary time series data.In this context, we sought to explore multifractal features defining spatiotemporal correlations in seizure activity, by applying multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MFDFA) to stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) recordings from five patients with refractory, focal temporal epilepsy, who underwent subsequent surgical removal of the temporal lobe and achieved seizure freedom.To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report evidence for a multifractal architecture underscoring sEEG-recorded epileptiform signals, suggesting a fundamental propensity for scale-invariance in electrophysiological human brain recordings.

Automated Whole-Brain Focal Cortical Dysplasia Detection Using MR Fingerprinting With Deep Learning.

Background And Objectives: Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a common pathology for pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy, yet detection of FCD on clinical MRI is challenging. Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) is a novel quantitative imaging technique providing fast and reliable tissue property measurements. The aim of this study was to develop an MRF-based deep-learning (DL) framework for whole-brain FCD detection.

Epileptic network identification: insights from dynamic mode decomposition of sEEG data.

For medically-refractory epilepsy patients, stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) is a surgical method using intracranial electrode recordings to identify brain networks participating in early seizure organization and propagation (i.e. the epileptogenic zone, EZ).

Measurable transitions during seizures in intracranial EEG: A stereoelectroencephalography and SPECT study.

Objective: Ictal Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) are diagnostic techniques used for the management of patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsies. While hyperperfusion patterns in ictal SPECT studies reveal seizure onset and propagation pathways, the role of ictal hypoperfusion remains poorly understood. The goal of this study was to systematically characterize the spatio-temporal information flow dynamics between differently perfused brain regions using stereo-EEG recordings.

Effective connectivity relates seizure outcome to electrode placement in responsive neurostimulation.

Responsive neurostimulation is a closed-loop neuromodulation therapy for drug resistant focal epilepsy. Responsive neurostimulation electrodes are placed near ictal onset zones so as to enable detection of epileptiform activity and deliver electrical stimulation. There is no standard approach for determining the optimal placement of responsive neurostimulation electrodes.

Novel noninvasive identification of patient-specific epileptic networks in focal epilepsies: Linking single-photon emission computed tomography perfusion during seizures with resting-state magnetoencephalography dynamics.

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) during seizures and magnetoencephalography (MEG) during the interictal state are noninvasive modalities employed in the localization of the epileptogenic zone in patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy (DRFE). The present study aims to investigate whether there exists a preferentially high MEG functional connectivity (FC) among those regions of the brain that exhibit hyperperfusion or hypoperfusion during seizures. We studied MEG and SPECT data in 30 consecutive DRFE patients who had resective epilepsy surgery.

Clinical significance of ictal magnetoencephalography in patients undergoing epilepsy surgery.

Objective: The significance of ictal magnetoencephalography (MEG) is not well appreciated. We evaluated the relationships between ictal MEG, MRI, intracranial electroencephalography (ICEEG), surgery and postoperative seizure outcome.

Methods: A total of 45 patients (46 cases) with ictal MEG who underwent epilepsy surgery was included.

Black Line Sign in Focal Cortical Dysplasia IIB: A 7T MRI and Electroclinicopathologic Study.

Background And Objectives: We aim to provide detailed imaging-electroclinicopathologic characterization of the black line sign, a novel MRI marker for focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) IIB.

Methods: 7T T2*-weighted gradient-echo (T2*w-GRE) images were retrospectively reviewed in a consecutive cohort of patients with medically intractable epilepsy with pathology-proven FCD II, for the occurrence of the black line sign. We examined the overlap between the black line region and the seizure-onset zone (SOZ) defined by intracranial EEG (ICEEG) and additionally assessed whether complete inclusion of the black line region in the surgical resection was associated with postoperative seizure freedom.

The Efficacy and Use of a Pocket Card Algorithm in Status Epilepticus Treatment.

Objective: To determine whether a pocket card treatment algorithm improves the early treatment of status epilepticus and to assess its utilization and retention in clinical practice.

Methods: Multidisciplinary care teams participated in video-recorded status epilepticus simulation sessions from 2015 to 2019. In this longitudinal cohort study, we examined the sessions recorded before and after introducing an internally developed, guideline-derived pocket card to determine differences in the adequacy or timeliness of rescue benzodiazepine.

Multimodal Image Integration for Epilepsy Presurgical Evaluation: A Clinical Workflow.

Multimodal image integration (MMII) is a promising tool to help delineate the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in patients with medically intractable focal epilepsies undergoing presurgical evaluation. We report here the detailed methodology of MMII and an overview of the utility of MMII at the Cleveland Clinic Epilepsy Center from 2014 to 2018, exemplified by illustrative cases. The image integration was performed using the Curry platform (Compumedics Neuroscan, Charlotte, NC, USA), including all available diagnostic modalities such as Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and Magnetoencephalography (MEG), with additional capability of trajectory planning for intracranial EEG (ICEEG), particularly stereo-EEG (SEEG), as well as surgical resection planning.

Neurovascular networks in epilepsy: Correlating ictal blood perfusion with intracranial electrophysiology.

Perfusion patterns observed in Subtraction Ictal SPECT Co-registered to MRI (SISCOM) assist in focus localization and surgical planning for patients with medically intractable focal epilepsy. While the localizing value of SISCOM has been widely investigated, its relationship to the underlying electrophysiology has not been extensively studied and is therefore not well understood. In the present study, we set to investigate this relationship in a cohort of 70 consecutive patients who underwent ictal and interictal SPECT studies and subsequent stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG) monitoring for localization of the epileptogenic focus and surgical intervention.

Value of 7T MRI and post-processing in patients with nonlesional 3T MRI undergoing epilepsy presurgical evaluation.

Objective: Ultra-high-field 7-Tesla (7T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers increased signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratios, which may improve visualization of cortical malformations. We aim to assess the clinical value of in vivo structural 7T MRI and its post-processing for the noninvasive identification of epileptic brain lesions in patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy and nonlesional 3T MRI who are undergoing presurgical evaluation.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients were included who had nonlesional 3T MRI by official radiology report.

Nine-year prospective efficacy and safety of brain-responsive neurostimulation for focal epilepsy.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate safety and efficacy of brain-responsive neurostimulation in adults with medically intractable focal onset seizures (FOS) over 9 years.

Methods: Adults treated with brain-responsive neurostimulation in 2-year feasibility or randomized controlled trials were enrolled in a long-term prospective open label trial (LTT) to assess safety, efficacy, and quality of life (QOL) over an additional 7 years. Safety was assessed as adverse events (AEs), efficacy as median percent change in seizure frequency and responder rate, and QOL with the Quality of Life in Epilepsy (QOLIE-89) inventory.

Mesial temporal resection following long-term ambulatory intracranial EEG monitoring with a direct brain-responsive neurostimulation system.

Objective: To describe seizure outcomes in patients with medically refractory epilepsy who had evidence of bilateral mesial temporal lobe (MTL) seizure onsets and underwent MTL resection based on chronic ambulatory intracranial EEG (ICEEG) data from a direct brain-responsive neurostimulator (RNS) system.

Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients at 17 epilepsy centers with MTL epilepsy who were treated with the RNS System using bilateral MTL leads, and in whom an MTL resection was subsequently performed. Presumed lateralization based on routine presurgical approaches was compared to lateralization determined by RNS System chronic ambulatory ICEEG recordings.

Localization value of subclinical seizures on scalp video-EEG in epilepsy presurgical evaluation.

Objective: To evaluate the localization value and prognostic significance of subclinical seizures (SCSs) on scalp video-electroencephalography monitoring (VEEG) in comparison to clinical seizures (CSs) in patients who had epilepsy surgery.

Methods: We included 123 consecutive patients who had SCSs and CSs during scalp-VEEG evaluation. All patients had subsequent epilepsy surgery and at least 1-year follow-up.

Multimodal noninvasive evaluation in MRI-negative operculoinsular epilepsy.

Objective: Presurgical evaluation of patients with operculoinsular epilepsy and negative MRI presents major challenges. Here the authors examined the yield of noninvasive modalities such as voxel-based morphometric MRI postprocessing, FDG-PET, subtraction ictal SPECT coregistered to MRI (SISCOM), and magnetoencephalography (MEG) in a cohort of patients with operculoinsular epilepsy and negative MRI.

Methods: Twenty-two MRI-negative patients were included who had focal ictal onset from the operculoinsular cortex on intracranial EEG, and underwent focal resection limited to the operculoinsular cortex.

Application of MRI Post-processing in Presurgical Evaluation of Non-lesional Cingulate Epilepsy.

Surgical management of patients with cingulate epilepsy (CE) is highly challenging, especially when the MRI is non-lesional. We aimed to use a voxel-based MRI post-processing technique, implemented in a morphometric analysis program (MAP), to facilitate detection of subtle epileptogenic lesions in CE, thereby improving surgical evaluation of patients with CE with non-lesional MRI by visual inspection. Included in this retrospective study were 9 patients with CE (6 with negative 3T MRI and 3 with subtly lesional 3T MRI) who underwent surgery and became seizure-free or had marked seizure improvement with at least 1-year follow-up.

Quantitative positron emission tomography-guided magnetic resonance imaging postprocessing in magnetic resonance imaging-negative epilepsies.

Objective: Detection of focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is of paramount importance in epilepsy presurgical evaluation. Our study aims at utilizing quantitative positron emission tomography (QPET) analysis to complement magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) postprocessing by a morphometric analysis program (MAP) to facilitate automated identification of subtle FCD.

Methods: We retrospectively included a consecutive cohort of surgical patients who had a negative preoperative MRI by radiology report.

Magnetoencephalography and ictal SPECT in patients with failed epilepsy surgery.

Objective: Selected patients with intractable focal epilepsy who have failed a previous epilepsy surgery can become seizure-free with reoperation. Preoperative evaluation is exceedingly challenging in this cohort. We aim to investigate the diagnostic value of two noninvasive approaches, magnetoencephalography (MEG) and ictal single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), in patients with failed epilepsy surgery.

Assessment of the Utility of Ictal Magnetoencephalography in the Localization of the Epileptic Seizure Onset Zone.

Importance: Literature on ictal magnetoencephalography (MEG) in clinical practice and the relationship to other modalities is limited because of the brevity of routine studies.

Objective: To investigate the utility and reliability of ictal MEG in the localization of the epileptogenic zone.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A retrospective medical record review and prospective analysis of a novel ictal rhythm analysis method was conducted at a tertiary epilepsy center with a wide base of referrals for epilepsy surgery evaluation and included consecutive cases of patients who experienced epileptic seizures during routine MEG studies from March 2008 to February 2012.

Small Lesion Size Is Associated with Sleep-Related Epilepsy in Focal Cortical Dysplasia Type II.

Objective: To investigate the neuroimaging and clinical features associated with sleep-related epilepsy (SRE) in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type II.

Methods: Patients with histopathologically proven FCD type II were included from three epilepsy centers. SRE was defined according to the video EEG findings and seizure history.

Magnetoencephalographic Characteristics of Cortical Dysplasia in Children.

Background And Rationale: Magnetoencephalography has emerged as a tool for preoperative evaluation in children. We studied magnetoencephalography characteristics in subtypes of focal cortical dysplasia and correlated the findings with postoperative seizure outcome.

Methods: Inclusion criteria were children ≤18 years who underwent magnetoencephalography during the preoperative evaluation followed by epilepsy surgery and a histopathologic diagnosis of focal cortical dysplasia between February 2008 and February 2013.