[Magnetic resonance measuring and analitic methods in epilepsy]

Neuroradiology and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as its leading tool play a basic role in the diagnostics of epilepsy. The result of the MRI examination is of utmost importance in patients with therapy resistent focal epilepsy possibly requiring neurosurgical intervention. Based on the continuously developing MRI techniques, we can use an optimal imaging protocol. Cerebral structures can be evaluated on a microanatomical level on high-resolution images with thin slices. The three-dimensional (3D) sequence has high spatial resolution, properly distinguishes cerebral grey and white matter, provides the possibility of surface rendering and volumetry, as well as an anatomical basis for other methods like tractography, functional MRI and neuronavigation. Diffusion weighted and diffusion tensor imaging (DWI, DTI) and tractography has an important role in differential diagnostics and tractography visualizes the main white matter tracts and their relation with brain pathologies. MR perfusion (MRP) provides help in differential diagnostics and may have a future role in the determination of the epileptogenic focus in multifocal pathologies. MR spectroscopy (MRS) is important in differential diagnostics, lateralization of focal epilepsy and in the confirmation of hippocampal sclerosis. Several of these methods need special hardware, software and expertise, but the basic MRI protocol for epilepsy can be implemented in all modern MR scanners of middle or high field strength.