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Diffusion-Based Magnetic Resonance and Tractography in Assessment of Patients with Epilepsy

Received: 12 September 2021     Accepted: 8 October 2021     Published: 16 October 2021
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Abstract

Background: Epilepsies are one of the most prevalent neurological disorders. Notably, magnetic resonance (MR) tractography based on diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) is heavily used in clinical diagnostic studies to detect small anomalies encompassing the lesion identified on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and appearing normal-looking white matter (WM). This study aimed to determine the added value of diffusion tensor MRI and tractography in the preoperative assessment of epileptogenic focus. Methods: This prospective study enrolled twenty patients with clinical symptoms of epilepsy and ten healthy control subjects who were age and sex matched. All patients were subjected to the followings: informed consent obtained from all patients, full clinical history taking, neurological examination, Electroencephalography (EEG), conventional MRI, as well as DTI and tractography. Results: The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values were significantly lower in the studied patients than in the healthy control subjects at both arcuate fasciculi, at both inferior longitudinal fasciculi. Also, the mean FA values had no significant difference between the studied patients and the controls at both cingulum tracts and at both uncinate fasciculi. The same findings were also observed at both corticospinal tracts (CSTs). There was a significant correlation between the conventional MRI and DTI in the accuracy in lateralization of the cause of epileptogenic activity in the studied patients. Conclusions: DTI is very helpful tool in providing insights on epileptic seizures, prognosis as well as the correct preoperative planning. DTI with 3D tractographic reconstruction of WM tracts are the only methods that allow the calculation as well as visualization of fiber tracts.

Published in International Journal of Medical Imaging (Volume 9, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11
Page(s) 159-166
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Magnetic Resonance, Tractography, Epilepsy

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Lobna Abd-El Aziz Shkeban, Samah Ahmed Radwan, Ashraf Ali Abo-el-Safa, Hanan Mohamed Saleh El-Ahwal. (2021). Diffusion-Based Magnetic Resonance and Tractography in Assessment of Patients with Epilepsy. International Journal of Medical Imaging, 9(4), 159-166. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11

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    ACS Style

    Lobna Abd-El Aziz Shkeban; Samah Ahmed Radwan; Ashraf Ali Abo-el-Safa; Hanan Mohamed Saleh El-Ahwal. Diffusion-Based Magnetic Resonance and Tractography in Assessment of Patients with Epilepsy. Int. J. Med. Imaging 2021, 9(4), 159-166. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11

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    AMA Style

    Lobna Abd-El Aziz Shkeban, Samah Ahmed Radwan, Ashraf Ali Abo-el-Safa, Hanan Mohamed Saleh El-Ahwal. Diffusion-Based Magnetic Resonance and Tractography in Assessment of Patients with Epilepsy. Int J Med Imaging. 2021;9(4):159-166. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11,
      author = {Lobna Abd-El Aziz Shkeban and Samah Ahmed Radwan and Ashraf Ali Abo-el-Safa and Hanan Mohamed Saleh El-Ahwal},
      title = {Diffusion-Based Magnetic Resonance and Tractography in Assessment of Patients with Epilepsy},
      journal = {International Journal of Medical Imaging},
      volume = {9},
      number = {4},
      pages = {159-166},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmi.20210904.11},
      abstract = {Background: Epilepsies are one of the most prevalent neurological disorders. Notably, magnetic resonance (MR) tractography based on diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) is heavily used in clinical diagnostic studies to detect small anomalies encompassing the lesion identified on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and appearing normal-looking white matter (WM). This study aimed to determine the added value of diffusion tensor MRI and tractography in the preoperative assessment of epileptogenic focus. Methods: This prospective study enrolled twenty patients with clinical symptoms of epilepsy and ten healthy control subjects who were age and sex matched. All patients were subjected to the followings: informed consent obtained from all patients, full clinical history taking, neurological examination, Electroencephalography (EEG), conventional MRI, as well as DTI and tractography. Results: The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values were significantly lower in the studied patients than in the healthy control subjects at both arcuate fasciculi, at both inferior longitudinal fasciculi. Also, the mean FA values had no significant difference between the studied patients and the controls at both cingulum tracts and at both uncinate fasciculi. The same findings were also observed at both corticospinal tracts (CSTs). There was a significant correlation between the conventional MRI and DTI in the accuracy in lateralization of the cause of epileptogenic activity in the studied patients. Conclusions: DTI is very helpful tool in providing insights on epileptic seizures, prognosis as well as the correct preoperative planning. DTI with 3D tractographic reconstruction of WM tracts are the only methods that allow the calculation as well as visualization of fiber tracts.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Diffusion-Based Magnetic Resonance and Tractography in Assessment of Patients with Epilepsy
    AU  - Lobna Abd-El Aziz Shkeban
    AU  - Samah Ahmed Radwan
    AU  - Ashraf Ali Abo-el-Safa
    AU  - Hanan Mohamed Saleh El-Ahwal
    Y1  - 2021/10/16
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11
    T2  - International Journal of Medical Imaging
    JF  - International Journal of Medical Imaging
    JO  - International Journal of Medical Imaging
    SP  - 159
    EP  - 166
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2330-832X
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20210904.11
    AB  - Background: Epilepsies are one of the most prevalent neurological disorders. Notably, magnetic resonance (MR) tractography based on diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) is heavily used in clinical diagnostic studies to detect small anomalies encompassing the lesion identified on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and appearing normal-looking white matter (WM). This study aimed to determine the added value of diffusion tensor MRI and tractography in the preoperative assessment of epileptogenic focus. Methods: This prospective study enrolled twenty patients with clinical symptoms of epilepsy and ten healthy control subjects who were age and sex matched. All patients were subjected to the followings: informed consent obtained from all patients, full clinical history taking, neurological examination, Electroencephalography (EEG), conventional MRI, as well as DTI and tractography. Results: The mean fractional anisotropy (FA) values were significantly lower in the studied patients than in the healthy control subjects at both arcuate fasciculi, at both inferior longitudinal fasciculi. Also, the mean FA values had no significant difference between the studied patients and the controls at both cingulum tracts and at both uncinate fasciculi. The same findings were also observed at both corticospinal tracts (CSTs). There was a significant correlation between the conventional MRI and DTI in the accuracy in lateralization of the cause of epileptogenic activity in the studied patients. Conclusions: DTI is very helpful tool in providing insights on epileptic seizures, prognosis as well as the correct preoperative planning. DTI with 3D tractographic reconstruction of WM tracts are the only methods that allow the calculation as well as visualization of fiber tracts.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 4
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Radiology Department, El Obour Hospital for Health Insurance, General Authority for Health Insurance, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt

  • Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

  • Neuropsychiatry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

  • Radiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt

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