Epilepsy surgery improves regional glucose metabolism on PET scan. A case report

A patient with medically intractable complex partial epilepsy was evaluated for epilepsy surgery by electro-encephalograph recording with depth electrodes and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET). A small calcified arteriovenous malformation was excised from the left parietal lobe, and the patient became seizure free. Baseline and language stimulation PET scans were obtained preoperatively and 10 months postoperatively. There was a significant increase in glucose metabolism of the left temporal lobe postoperatively, which we interpret as evidence of improved neuronal function. We suggest that this case represents evidence for a functional, and reversible, inhibition of neuronal metabolism by epileptic activity.