Development and validation of a deep survival model to predict time to seizure from routine electroencephalography

This study was undertaken to develop and validate a deep survival model (EEGSurvNet) that analyzes routine electroencephalography (EEG) to predict individual seizure risk over time, comparing its performance to traditional clinical predictors such as interictal epileptiform discharges (IEDs).

We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 1014 consecutive routine EEGs from 994 patients recorded at a tertiary epilepsy center. We developed EEGSurvNet, a deep learning model that predicts time to next seizure over a 2-year horizon from a single EEG. Model performance was evaluated on a temporally shifted testing set of 135 EEGs from 115 patients using time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), AUROC integrated over 2 years (iAUROC), and C-index. We compared the deep survival model to a clinical Cox model incorporating standard risk factors as well as a random model based on baseline seizure risk.

EEGSurvNet achieved a 2-year iAUROC of .69 (95% confidence interval [CI] = .64-.73) and C-index of .66 (95% CI = .60-.73), outperforming both clinical and random models. Performance was highest in the first months following EEG, peaking at 2 months (AUROC = .80). Combining EEGSurvNet with clinical predictors further improved performances (iAUROC = .70, C = .69). Notably, the model showed superior discrimination on EEGs without IEDs (iAUROC = .78 vs. .53). Model interpretation revealed that the temporal-occipital regions and 6-15-Hz frequencies contributed most to risk prediction.

EEGSurvNet demonstrates that deep learning can extract prognostic information from routine EEG beyond visible epileptiform abnormalities, potentially improving patient counseling and treatment decisions. Future prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and assess their clinical impact.