How to interpret images in epileptic seizures: correlation between clinical and functional MRI findings

Neuroimaging studies are essential in patients with epilepsy, both for diagnosis and surgical management. This article focuses on adult epileptic patients, reviewing the updated clinical criteria published by the International League Against Epilepsy for the definitions of seizures, epilepsy, and status epilepticus. It also describes the different types of epilepsy, the different presentations, the signs, the radiologic approach to managing seizures, and the differences between generalized and focal seizures. Finally, it discusses the relations between possible functional cerebral deficits secondary to potentially epileptogenic lesions and epilepsy surgery, underlining the importance of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies.