One In Four With Epilepsy Had Functional Seizures
This study looked at people age 16 and older with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) who were admitted to one hospital’s epilepsy monitoring unit for inpatient video-EEG between 2008 and 2024.
Imaging & EEG
This hub covers epilepsy EEG and MRI: how EEGs and brain imaging help doctors understand seizure patterns and possible causes. Clear explanations of common findings and what research suggests.
What you’ll find in this topic:
- Plain-language summaries of new epilepsy studies
- What the research means for real life
- Practical questions to ask your neurologist
- Related topics you can explore next
Imaging & EEG: What Families Usually Want to Know
- What an EEG can (and can’t) tell you
- Why EEGs can be “normal” even when seizures are real
- When MRI/other imaging matters (and what doctors look for)
- What “spikes,” “slowing,” and “epileptiform activity” mean
Common EEG & Imaging Terms in Plain English
- EEG: Measures electrical activity from the scalp (not a brain “scan”)
- Epileptiform discharges: Patterns that suggest seizure risk
- Ictal: Refers to during a seizure
- Interictal: Refers to between seizures
- Focal vs. Generalized: Pertaining to one specific spot on or network on one side of the brain vs. both sides/networks
- MRI Lesion: A structural change that might be related (not always)
Imaging & EEG FAQ
Can you have epilepsy with a normal EEG?
Yes. EEGs are a snapshot. Some people need repeat EEGs, sleep-deprived EEGs, or long-term monitoring.
Does an abnormal EEG mean someone will definitely have seizures?
Not always. It raises suspicion and risk, but diagnosis still depends on the full story.
Why do doctors order an MRI?
To look for structural causes like scars, malformations, tumors, and stroke-related changes, which can guide treatment.
What is video EEG monitoring?
An inpatient or extended study that records EEG and video together to match symptoms to brain activity.
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Emergency Brain Scans Rarely Help After Breakthrough Seizures
This study looked at how useful emergent non-contrast head CT scans were for adults with known epilepsy who came to the emergency department because of breakthrough seizures.
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How Brain Network Tools Are Used In Epilepsy
This paper is a methodology review, not a study of patients testing one treatment or one test.
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New QRICH1 Gene Change Linked To Ververi-Brady Syndrome
This paper described one infant boy with Ververi-Brady syndrome who presented with infantile epileptic spasms syndrome.
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AI Seizure Prediction Shows Promise But Needs Real-World Testing
This paper was a systematic review, which means the authors gathered and analyzed results from earlier studies rather than testing one new device in patients.
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New Brain Signal May Help Pinpoint Epilepsy Areas
Researchers looked for extremely fast brain-wave events in people with drug-resistant epilepsy.
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Brain Scan May Help Protect Language During Epilepsy Surgery
This study looked at whether resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) could help identify language lateralization before epilepsy surgery.
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Brain Scan Combo Better Finds Seizure Source Before Surgery
This study looked at whether magnetoencephalographic source imaging (MSI) adds diagnostic value for finding the brain area where seizures start in people with drug-resistant focal epilepsy.
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Some Children Diagnosed With Migraine May Have Seizures
This study looked at whether some children sent to a pediatric neurology clinic for “migraine” or “headache” might actually have self-limited epilepsy with autonomic seizures (SeLEAS), also called Panayiotopoulos syndrome.
