[What is the assessment of the etiology of the epilepsy?]

Abstract

WHAT IS THE ASSESSMENT OF THE ETIOLOGY OF THE EPILEPSY? The etiologic assessment carried out in the case of an epilepsy aims to identify the epilepsy syndrome, look for secondary epilepsy, and estimate the risk of seizure recurrence. These different elements are crucial for the therapeutic decision, and for assessing the indication for an antiepileptic treatment. The two key examinations of this assessment are brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG). Brain MRI should be performed on a 3 Tesla machine if possible, and must include some specific sequences to be considered of sufficient quality. Its purpose is to search for structural lesions with epileptogenic potential. EEG aims to look for interictal epileptic abnormalities, either focal or generalized, which are of great importance for the identification of the epileptic syndrome. Other investigations may also be useful depending on the patient's history. The results of this assessment must be compared with the clinical data, especially the clinical description of the seizure(s), to achieve the most accurate diagnosis of the epilepsy syndrome.