• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 2011

Periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) had been debated whether it is ictal or non-ictal phenomenon. As most of PLEDs occur in patients with acute structural lesions, some epileptologists prefer PLEDS as a non-ictal phenomenon, rather an obscure epiphenomenon of etiological diseases. But, almost half of the patients with PLEDs do not have acute structural lesions in the brain and metabolic disorders or old CNS lesions may cause PLEDs and even more, no brain lesion was identified in some patients. There are many data supporting PLEDs as ictal phenomena. Occurrence of PLEDs usually accompanied by decreased mentality and is improved as PLEDs disappeared. Current SPECT study showed marked hyperperfusion in the lesion side of PLEDs, that is striking evidence of PLEDs as ictal phenomena. Also careful review of EEG with PLEDs revealed it is a dynamic process rather than a static state. Despite of these evidences, as PLEDs are an end-stage of animal status epilepticus models, it may be a transition of ictal to interictal state.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.169-182
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• 2000

Purpose: To investigate the various ictal perfusion patterns and find the relationships between clinical factors and different perfusion patterns. Materials and Methods: Interictal and ictal SPECT and SPECT subtraction were performed in 61 patients with partial epilepsy. Both positive images showing ictal hyperperfusion and negative images revealing ictal hypoperfusion were obtained by SPECT subtraction The ictal perfusion patterns of subtracted SPECT were classified into focal hyperperfusion, hyperperfusion-plus, combined hyperperfusion-hypoperfusion, and focal hypoperfusion only. Results: The concordance rates with epileptic focus were 91.8% in combined analysis of ictal hyperperfusion and hypoperfusion images of subtracted SPECT, 85.2% in hyperperfusion images only of subtracted SPECT, and 68.9% in conventional ictal SPECT analysis. Ictal hypoperfusion occurred less frequently in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) than extratemporal lobe epilepsy. Mesial temporal hyperperfusion alone was seen only in mesial TLE while lateral temporal hyperperfusion alone was observed only in neocortical TLE. Hippocampal sclerosis had much lower incidence of ictal hypoperfusion than any other pathology. Some patients showed ictal hypoperfusion at epileptic focus with ictal hyperperfusion in the neighboring brain regions where ictal discharges propagated. Conclusion: Hypoperfusion as well as hyperperfusion in ictal SPECT should be considered for localizing epileptic focus. Although the mechanism of ictal hypoperfusion could be an intra-ictal early exhaustion of seizure focus or a steal phenomenon by the propagation of ictal discharges to adjacent brain areas, further study is needed to elucidate it.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.20-31
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• 1998

A robust algorithm to disclose and display the difference of ictal and interictal perfusion may facilitate the detection of ictal hyperfusion foci. Diagnostic performance of localizing epileptogenic zones with subtracted SPECT images was compared with the visual diagnosis using ictal and interictal SPECT, MR, or PET. Ietal and interictal Tc-99m-HMPAO cerebral perfusion SPECT images of 48 patients(pts) were processed to get parametric subtracted images. Epileptogenic foci of all pts were diagnosed by seizure free state after resection of epileptogenic zones. In subtraction SPECT, we used normalized difference ratio of pixel counts(ictal-interictal)/interictal ${\times}100%$) after correcting coordinates of ictal and interictal SPECT in semi-automatized 3-dimensional fashion. We found epileptogenic zones in subtraction SPECT and compared the performance with visual diagnosis of ictal and interictal SPECT, MR and PET using post-surgical diagnosis as gold standard. The concordance of subtraction SPECT and ictal-interictal SPECT was moderately good(kappa=0.49). The sensitivity of ictal-interictal SPECT was 73% and that of subtraction SPECT 58%. Positive predictive value of ictal-interictal SPECT was 76% and that of subtraction SPECT was 64%. There was no statistical difference between sensitivity or positive predictive values of subtraction SPECT and ictal-interictal SPECT, MR or PET. Such was also the case when we divided patients into temporal lobe epilepsy and neocortical epilepsy. We conclude that subtraction SPECT we produced had equivalent diagnostic performance compared with ictal-interictal SPECT in localizing epileptogenic zones. Additional value of these subtraction SPECT in clinical interpretation of ictal and interictal SPECT should be further evaluated.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.24-33
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• 2003

Finding epileptogenic zone is the most important step for the successful epilepsy surgery. F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can be used in the localization of epileptogenic foci. In medial temporal lobe epilepsy, the diagnostic sensitivity of FDG-PET and ictal SPECT is excellent. However, detection of hippocampal sclerosis by MRI is so certain that use of FDG-PET and ictal SPECT in medial temporal lobe epilepsy is limited for some occasions. In neocortical epilepsy, the sensitivities of FDG-PET or ictal SPECT are fair. However, FDG-PET and ictal SPECT can have a crucial role in the localization of epileptogenic foci for non-lesional neocortical epilepsy. Interpretation of FDG-PET has been recently advanced by voxel-based analysis and automatic volume of interest analysis based on a population template. Both analytical methods can aid the objective diagnosis of epileptogenic foci. Ictal SPECT was analyzed using subtraction methods and voxel-based analysis. Rapidity of injection of tracers, ictal EEG findings during injection of tracer, and repeated ictal SPECT were important technical issues of ictal SPECT. SPECT can also be used in the evaluation of validity of Wada test.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.445-450
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• 1995

The epileptogenic zones should be localized precisely before surgical resection of these zones in intractable epilepsy. The localization is more difficult in patients with neocortical epilepsy than in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. This study aimed at evaluation of the usefulness of ictal brain perfusion SPECT for the localization of epileptogenic zones in neocortical epilepsy. We compared the performance of ictal SPECT with MRI referring to ictal scalp electroencephalography(sEEG). Ictal $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO SPECT were done in twenty-one patients. Ictal EEG were also obtained during video monitoring. MRI were reviewd. According to the ictal sEEG and semiology, 8 patients were frontal lobe epilepsy, 7 patients were lateral temporal lobe epilepsy, 2 patients were parietal lobe epilepsy, and 4 patients were occipital lobe epilepsy. Ictal SPECT showed hyperperfusion in 14 patients(67%) in the zones which were suspected to be epileptogenic according to ictal EEG and semiology. MRI found morphologic abnormalities in 9 patients(43%). Among the 12 patients, in whom no epileptogenic zones were revealed by MRI, ictal SPECT found zones of hyperperfusion concordant with ictal SEEG in 9 patients(75%). However, no zones of hyperperfusion were found in 4 among 9 patients who were found to have cerebromalacia, abnormal calcification and migration anomaly in MRI. We thought that ictal SPECT was useful for localization of epileptogenic zones in neocortical epilepsy and especially in patients with negative findings in MRI.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.287-293
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• 1995

Anterior temporal lobectomy has become a widely used resective surgery in patients with medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsies. Prerequisites of this resection include the accurate localization of the epileptogenic focus and the determination that the proposed resection would not result in unacceptable postoperative memory or language deficits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of ictal SPECT compared to MRI findings for localization of epiletogenic foci in this group of patients. 11 patients who had been anterior temporal lobectomy were evaluated with ictal $^{99m}Tc$-HMPAO SPECT and MRI. MRI showed 8/11(73%) concordant lesion to the side of surgery and ictal SPECT also showed 8/11(73%) concordant hyperperfusion. In 3 cases with incorrect or nonlocalizing findings of MRI, ictal SPECT showed concordant hyperperfusion. In 2 cases confirmed by pre-resectional invasive EEG, MRI showed bilateral and contralateral lesion but ictal SPECT showed concordant hyperperfusion. 3 delayed injection of ictal SPECT showed discordant hyperperfusion. Thus, ictal SPECT was a useful method for localizing epileptogenic foci in temporal lobe epilepsis and appeared complementay to MRI.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2011

Although the pathophysiologic mechanism is unknown, there has been long-running debate on whether periodic discharges such as periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) and generalized periodic epileptiform discharges are an ictal or interictal EEG pattern. The goal of this review is to give evidence that such periodic discharges on EEG are not ictal phenomenon and just represent underlying acute brain damage. This review includes coma with epileptiform EEG pattern and its prognostic and therapeutic implications. Based on previous reports, rather than taking the view PLEDs represent either an underlying ictal process or an electrographic correlate of neuronal injury, it would be more reasonable that PLEDs are considered as a dynamic pathophysiological state in which unstable neurobiological processes create an ictal-interictal continuum.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Medical Physics Conference
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• 2002.09a
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• pp.335-337
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• 2002

The aim of this study was investigate the epileptogenic zone in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We evaluated the subtraction image of interictal SPECT from ictal SPECT coregistered to 3-dimensional (3D) MRI, and compared with the normal healthy SPECT using a SPM99. Forty-nine patients with TLE (M:F=28:21, mean age: 33${\pm}$2.1 years) underwent a pairs of ictal and interictal SPECT. We performed subtraction interictal SPECT from ictal SPECT in TLE patients. In addition, using SPM methods and t-statistics, SPECT images of the TLE patients were compared with normal healthy SPECT on a voxel by voxel basis. The voxels with a p-value of less than 0.05, 0.005, 0.001 were considered to be significantly different. The subtraction results by ictal and interictal SPECT coincided with the significant rCBF changes when compare of the normal healthy SPECT using a SPM99. The results suggested that analysis of difference of the two methods using healthy normal SPECT with SPM99 is useful tool in evaluation of seizure focus in epilepsy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.59 no.sup1
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• pp.129-132
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• 2016

Ictal tachycardia and bradycardia are common arrhythmias; however, ictal sinus pause and asystole are rare. Ictal arrhythmia is mostly reported in adults with temporal lobe epilepsy. Recently, ictal arrhythmia was recognized as a major warning sign of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. We present an interesting case of a child with ictal sinus pause and asystole. A 27-month-old girl was hospitalized due to 5 episodes of convulsions during the past 2 days. Results of routine electroencephalography (EEG) were normal, but she experienced brief generalized tonic seizure for 3 days. During video-monitored EEG and echocardiography (ECG), she showed multiple myoclonic seizures simultaneously or independently, as well as frequent sinus pauses. After treatment with valproic acid, myoclonus and generalized tonic seizures were well controlled and only 2 sinus pauses were seen on 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring. Sinus dysfunction should be recognized on EEG, and it can sometimes be treated successfully with only antiepileptic medication.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.244-250
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• 1992

Both interictal and ictal $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ brain SPECT were performed in 22 patients with medically intractable epilepsy. Localization of epileptic foci in our patients was made by combined results of EEG and other tests, including Wada test, magnetic resonance imaging, and neuropsychometric test. Among them, ictal $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ SPECT, localized epilptic foci in 20 of 22 patients and provided evidence of epileptic focus in 12 patients by demonstrating maximally increased regional cerebral perfusion (rCP) in epileptic foci during the ictal study with decreased rCP in interictal study. Ictal $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ SPECT was particularly useful for investigating epileptic foci, and when correlated with simultaneously recorded ictal EEG, provided further insight for localizing epileptic foci. Conclusively, $^{99m}Tc-HMPAO$ SPECT is. a useful, noninvasive method of localizing epileptic activity which may be particularly important for presurgical investigations, especially in those patients without large morphological lesions.