The Evaluation of the Brain Alterations in Epileptic Patients Using Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the brain alterations in epileptic patients and normal adults in order to help differential diagnosis using volumetric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods: The study case group included 11 subjects, 6 patients of whom with focal and secondary generalized seizures and 5 of whom were healthy people as a control group. Measurements and evaluations of the brain important regions were performed with volBrain software within 4 different pipelines. Results: Statistical results showed that the significant quantitative assessments were observed in the areas as follows: right Hippocampus (P-value<0.05), right cerebellar (P-value<0.1), thalamus Asymmetry (Pvalue<0.1), right CA1 (P-value<0.1), left SR-SL-SM (P-value<0.1), right subiculum (P-value<0.1), left cerebellum cortical thickness (P-value<0.05) and some cerebellar lobules. Conclusion: Structural MRI demonstrated significant brain alterations in epileptic subjects comparing normal adults. Assessment of brain lesions did not show any defect in Brain which implies that patients have disappearing lesions caused by seizures. Significant quantitative assessments were shown in the right lobule III, lobule IX mean cortical thickness, right cerebellum grey matter, right hippocampus and right cerebellar areas.