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SEIZURE DISORDER DIAGNOSIS |
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Personal and family medical history,
description of seizure activity, and physical and neurological
examinations help primary care physicians, neurologists, and
epileptologists diagnose this disorder. Doctors rule out conditions
that cause symptoms that resemble epilepsy, including small strokes
(transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs), fainting (syncope),
pseudoseizures, and sleep attacks (narcolepsy). Neuropsychological testing uncovers learning or memory problems. Neuro-imaging provides views of brain areas involved in seizure activity. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is the main test used to diagnose epilepsy. EEGs use electrodes placed on or within the skull to record the brain's electrical activity and pinpoint the exact location of abnormal discharges. The patient may be asked to remain motionless during a short-term EEG or to go about his normal activities during extended monitoring. Some patients are deprived of sleep or exposed to seizure triggers, such as rapid, deep breathing (hyperventilation) or flashing lights (photic stimulation). In some cases, people may be hospitalized for EEG monitorings that can last as long as two weeks. Video EEGs also document what the patient was doing when the seizure occurred and how the seizure changed his behavior. Other techniques used to diagnose epilepsy include: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which provides clear, detailed images of the brain. Functional MRI (fMRI), performed while the patient does various tasks, can measure shifts in electrical intensity and blood flow and indicate which brain region each activity affects. Positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission tomography (SPECT) monitor blood flow and chemical activity in the brain area being tested. PET and SPECT are very effective in locating the brain region where metabolic changes take place between seizures. |
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| SEIZURE DISORDER RELATED ITEMS | ||
