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Updated: Aug 5, 2026
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Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Published on: September 20, 2024
Neuroinflammatory PET in Epilepsy: Prospects for Epileptogenic Zone Localization and Presurgical Planning
Callum Taylor1, Bianca Jupp1, Lucy Vivash2,3
1Department of Neurosciences, School of Translational Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; and.
Summary
Neuroinflammatory PET imaging, using targets like TSPO, helps pinpoint the seizure focus in epilepsy. This technique improves surgical planning and outcomes, especially when standard MRI is inconclusive.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Molecular Imaging
- Epilepsy Research
Background:
- Neuroinflammation plays a key role in epilepsy.
- Identifying the epileptogenic zone (EZ) is crucial for surgical treatment.
- Current imaging methods may not always localize the EZ effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the utility of neuroinflammatory Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for epileptogenic zone localization.
- To synthesize evidence for various neuroinflammatory targets in epilepsy.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on neuroinflammatory PET tracers for EZ localization.
- Analysis of data for targets including 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), monoamine oxidase B, and P2X7 receptor.
- Comparison with electroencephalography and surgical outcomes.
Main Results:
- TSPO PET shows increased uptake in the EZ for temporal lobe and neocortical epilepsy, aiding in MRI-negative cases.
- Resection of TSPO-positive areas correlates with seizure freedom.
- Monoamine oxidase B PET highlights astrogliosis in the hippocampus; P2X7 receptor PET shows potential.
Conclusions:
- Neuroinflammatory PET is a promising tool for improving EZ localization in epilepsy.
- It can enhance surgical eligibility assessment and guide resection extent.
- This approach is particularly valuable when conventional imaging is insufficient.
