PET imaging in epilepsy: basal ganglia and thalamic involvement

Positron emission tomography imaging has revealed basal ganglia and thalamic abnormalities in cerebral blood flow, metabolism and neurotransmission in patients with partial epilepsy. Although these changes remain of uncertain significance, this involvement could be associated with the initiation, propagation or control of seizures. This paper will review the imaging data obtained using positron emission tomography in patients with partial and generalized epilepsy.