BMC Neurology (Sep 2021)

The role of hybrid FDG-PET/MRI on decision-making in presurgical evaluation of drug-resistant epilepsy

  • Márton Tóth,
  • Péter Barsi,
  • Zoltán Tóth,
  • Katalin Borbély,
  • János Lückl,
  • Miklós Emri,
  • Imre Repa,
  • József Janszky,
  • Tamás Dóczi,
  • Zsolt Horváth,
  • Péter Halász,
  • Vera Juhos,
  • Csilla Gyimesi,
  • Beáta Bóné,
  • Diána Kuperczkó,
  • Réka Horváth,
  • Ferenc Nagy,
  • Anna Kelemen,
  • Zsófia Jordán,
  • Ákos Újvári,
  • Koichi Hagiwara,
  • Jean Isnard,
  • Endre Pál,
  • Attila Fekésházy,
  • Dániel Fabó,
  • Zsolt Vajda

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-021-02352-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 21, no. 1
pp. 1 – 20

Abstract

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Abstract Background When MRI fails to detect a potentially epileptogenic lesion, the chance of a favorable outcome after epilepsy surgery becomes significantly lower (from 60 to 90% to 20–65%). Hybrid FDG-PET/MRI may provide additional information for identifying the epileptogenic zone. We aimed to investigate the possible effect of the introduction of hybrid FDG-PET/MRI into the algorithm of the decision-making in both lesional and non-lesional drug-resistant epileptic patients. Methods In a prospective study of patients suffering from drug-resistant focal epilepsy, 30 nonlesional and 30 lesional cases with discordant presurgical results were evaluated using hybrid FDG-PET/MRI. Results The hybrid imaging revealed morphological lesion in 18 patients and glucose hypometabolism in 29 patients within the nonlesional group. In the MRI positive group, 4 patients were found to be nonlesional, and in 9 patients at least one more epileptogenic lesion was discovered, while in another 17 cases the original lesion was confirmed by means of hybrid FDG-PET/MRI. As to the therapeutic decision-making, these results helped to indicate resective surgery instead of intracranial EEG (iEEG) monitoring in 2 cases, to avoid any further invasive diagnostic procedures in 7 patients, and to refer 21 patients for iEEG in the nonlesional group. Hybrid FDG-PET/MRI has also significantly changed the original therapeutic plans in the lesional group. Prior to the hybrid imaging, a resective surgery was considered in 3 patients, and iEEG was planned in 27 patients. However, 3 patients became eligible for resective surgery, 6 patients proved to be inoperable instead of iEEG, and 18 cases remained candidates for iEEG due to the hybrid FDG-PET/MRI. Two patients remained candidates for resective surgery and one patient became not eligible for any further invasive intervention. Conclusions The results of hybrid FDG-PET/MRI significantly altered the original plans in 19 of 60 cases. The introduction of hybrid FDG-PET/MRI into the presurgical evaluation process had a potential modifying effect on clinical decision-making. Trial registration Trial registry: Scientific Research Ethics Committee of the Medical Research Council of Hungary. Trial registration number: 008899/2016/OTIG . Date of registration: 08 February 2016.

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