EPILEPSY DIAGNOSIS

A detailed history from the patient or from someone who has witnessed the patient's seizure is very important when trying to diagnose epilepsy. It is also useful to know the type of seizure experienced. For diagnostic purposes, it is important to find out about:

•	Any symptoms preceding the attack.
•	What, if anything, precipitates an attack.
•	Patterns of occurrence.
•	Behaviour before, during and after the seizure.
•	Any symptoms or signs that indicate an underlying cause for the epilepsy e.g. loss of speech, visual defect, loss of power to a limb.

Your doctor will also conduct some routine blood tests including a full blood count, glucose levels, calcium levels and liver function tests.

The patient is usually asked to undergo an EEG Test (Electroencephalogram). This records brain wave activity by picking up the tiny electrical signals given off by nerve cells when they communicate.

Electrodes are attached to the scalp and the signals picked up are amplified and recorded on paper. The procedure lasts 20 – 30 minutes and is painless.

Only one third of patients show changes consistent with epilepsy but the absence of abnormalities does not rule out epilepsy and the presence of abnormalities in patients with no symptoms does not necessarily indicate epilepsy.

Other methods of diagnosis include EEG telemetry. This is similar to the EEG test but allows monitoring of brain wave activity over time while the patient is going about his day-to-day activities. Electrodes are attached to the scalp and the wires are then connected to a small tape recorder. EEG telemetry is mostly used if the diagnosis is in doubt despite frequent seizures or if surgical treatment is being considered.

Video telemetry may be available in specialised centres and is an attempt to video the seizure as well as recording the EEG.

Obvious structural abnormalities or damage that may be present in the brain can be identified via a brain scan also known as a CT (computerised tomography) scan. Smaller structural abnormalities can be detected via a high resolution MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan. MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to form an image of the structure being scanned i.e. the brain when investigating epilepsy. MRI can reveal the cause of epilepsy in 30 percent of patients with generalised epilepsy and in 70 percent of patients with localisation-related epilepsies.

EPILEPSY RELATED ITEMS

	EPILEPSY DEFINITION
	EPILEPSY DESCRIPTION
	EPILEPSY CAUSES
	EPILEPSY SYMPTOMS
	EPILEPSY DIAGNOSIS
	EPILEPSY TREATMENTS
	EPILEPSY PROGNOSIS
	EPILEPSY INFORMATION
	EPILEPSY PREVENTION