Endovascular electroencephalography (eEEG) can detect the laterality of epileptogenic foci as accurately as subdural electrodes.

Background: Traditional brain activity monitoring via scalp electroencephalography (EEG) offers limited resolution and is susceptible to artifacts. Endovascular electroencephalography (eEEG) emerged in the 1990s. Despite early successes and potential for detecting epileptiform activity, eEEG has remained clinically unutilized. This study aimed to further test the capabilities of eEEG in detecting lateralized epileptic discharges in animal models. We hypothesized that eEEG would be able to detect lateralization. The purpose of this study was to measure epileptiform discharges with eEEG in animal models with lateralization in epileptogenicity.

Materials And Methods: We inserted eEEG electrodes into the transverse sinuses of three pigs, and subdural electrodes (SDs) on the surfaces of the left and right hemispheres. We induced epileptogenicity with penicillin in the left brain of pigs F00001 and F00003, and in the right brain of pig F00002. The resulting epileptiform discharges were measured by eEEG electrodes placed in the left and right transverse sinuses, and conducted comparisons with epileptiform discharges from SDs. We also had 12 neurological physicians interpret measurement results from eEEG alone and determine the side (left or right) of epileptogenicity.

Results: Three pigs were evaluated for epileptiform discharge detection using eEEG: F00001 (7 months old, 14.0 kg), F00002 (8 months old, 15.6 kg), and F00003 (8 months old, 14.4 kg). The eEEG readings were compared with results from SDs, showing significant alignment across all subjects (p < 0.001). The sensitivity and positive predictive values (PPV) were as follows: F00001 had 0.93 and 0.96, F00002 had 0.99 and 1.00, and F00003 had 0.98 and 0.99. Even though one of the neurological physicians got all sides incorrect, all other assessments were correct. Upon post-experimental dissection, no abnormalities were observed in the brain tissue or in the vascular damage at the site where the eEEG was placed, based on pathological evaluation.

Conclusion: With eEEG, lateralization can be determined with high sensitivity (>0.93) and PPV (>0.95) that appear equivalent to those of subdural EEG in the three pigs. This lateralization was also discernible by neurological physicians on visual inspection.