Place Your Advertisement Here. All ad revenues support the mission of the Epilepsy Therapy Project.
 
Wed, 5/16/2012

Sign up for our Newsletter!




Place Your Advertisement Here

Take control of your epilepsy and seizures. Seizure management has never been easier.

TAKE CONTROL TODAY

What tests are needed?

  • View/Print content

The doctor usually orders a variety of tests to help make the diagnosis. These include:

  • A brain wave test, also called an EEG (electroencephalogram), to look for changes in the brain's electrical patterns that are related to seizures
  • Blood tests, to look for certain medical disorders
  • Either a special x-ray of the brain, a CT scan (sometimes called a CAT scan), or an MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging), to look for abnormal areas such as a tumor or infection.

Depending on the urgency of the situation, other tests also might be recommended, such as a lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap), EKG (electrocardiogram, to check the heart), or a sleep test.

The results of these tests often appear completely normal in people with epilepsy. Normal test results do not mean that the seizures are not real or that epilepsy is not present.

Topic Editor: Carl W. Bazil, M.D., Ph.D.
Last Reviewed: 3/8/04

Continue to: What if it's not epilepsy?


This content is user-generated. Content is not monitored nor consistently reviewed by the epilepsy.com Editorial Board. Epilepsy.com therefore cannot guarantee the accuracy of any content edited with the Wiki sections. While epilepsy.com, the Epilepsy Therapy Project, and its partners encourage visitor interaction and publishing within these sections, users should use caution when exploring content, especially as it pertains to health concerns. No content on epilepsy.com is intended to replace the care of a doctor. We encourage you to contact your own health care provider for individual medical advice. We cannot provide second opinions or make specific recommendations regarding therapy, nor does this Wiki content constitute a recommendation for any diagnosis or treatment options.

The doctor usually orders a variety of tests to help make the diagnosis. These include:

  • A brain wave test, also called an EEG (electroencephalogram), to look for changes in the brain's electrical patterns that are related to seizures
  • Blood tests, to look for certain medical disorders
  • Either a special x-ray of the brain, a CT scan (sometimes called a CAT scan), or an MRI scan (magnetic resonance imaging), to look for abnormal areas such as a tumor or infection.

Depending on the urgency of the situation, other tests also might be recommended, such as a lumbar puncture (also called a spinal tap), EKG (electrocardiogram, to check the heart), or a sleep test.

The results of these tests often appear completely normal in people with epilepsy. Normal test results do not mean that the seizures are not real or that epilepsy is not present.

[ Report Abuse ]

tests, imaging, diagnosis, testing

Place Your Advertisement Here
Look Who's Talking

Title Posted
Epilepsy and School   May 16, 2012
New2Epilepsy
Question for VNS patients: Should I be concerned?   May 16, 2012
suebear
Tonic Clonic seizures with no warning   May 16, 2012
Arik
Life After Left Temporal Lobe Surgery - Desperate for Input   May 16, 2012
vitasg
Faked seizures   May 16, 2012
dfarrell
Complex Partial Seizures-Suddenly there is no aura, no warning of any kind   May 16, 2012
cmesmile32
lamictal/lamotrigene, marijuana, and pregnancy/breastfeeding   May 16, 2012
reikihealer
Lamictal and pregnancy   May 16, 2012
bugsbunny
How Do You Cope?   May 16, 2012
rosanna1980
Do meds exacerbate moodiness during menstrual cycle?   May 16, 2012
scubagirl
View all Forums

Title Page Views
my.epilepsy.com Updates   20,618
epi_help
topamax and weight loss   19,330
alexia mom
kepra   19,240
brian mattingly
Possible cure for absence seizures   16,387
pdl1
How exactly do aura's feel   14,073
WendyBendy
Sexual Side Effects   13,521
George R
MEDICAL ALERT I.D.'s   12,452
picnupthepcs
Over 40 Different Types Of Seizures - Revised   10,442
spiz
electrical shock in head?   10,083
Maggie
Weight Gain and Depakote   9,011
galinda
View all Forums

Title Posted
Police officer with adult onset epilepsy   May 15, 2012
matt b
Complex like none other   May 15, 2012
Cristopher.Rodriguez
Teenager & Stay Positive   May 15, 2012
SophieWinifred
HI GINA MARIE!!! I MISS YOU! SEIZURES.........AND WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SEIZURES......THE POSTICTAL COMSUMER   May 15, 2012
ROCKNROLL
Hi Again   May 15, 2012
ajmtightwrite@bis.midco.net
Some people are just complete A-holes....   May 15, 2012
arsen77
Does epilepsy define ME   May 15, 2012
fivelove
Lets keep it real.   May 15, 2012
Adz
Coming out?   May 14, 2012
fashionlove45
My story   May 11, 2012
fashionlove45
View all Blogs

Title Page Views
my partial complex seizures   4,540
Zanna1211
Topomax... The Dreaded.........   3,787
Dr Jason
Brain Zaps, tics & twitches   3,586
JudiS
How can you tell if a sleep seizure happens?   3,545
epl_controller
Feeling Sick   3,308
JBJ1984
side effects of phenobarb.   3,215
pksmom
Tegretol XR and ANXIETY meds   2,904
Butterflygrl
TYLENOL, AEDs & SEIZURES   2,834
cmscribbles
Nonepileptic "Events" vs. "Seizures"   2,711
teft
newborn seizure   2,256
Sunny_80
View all Blogs

Title Posted
My son Christian   Oct 21, 2009
ChristiansMom2
View all Stories

Title Posted
My Epilepsy story   May 16, 2012
Mar1tza
Cooper my 3 year old amazing son   May 15, 2012
supercooper
I want to get better   May 15, 2012
EsmeraldaAguilar
Seizures under control   May 14, 2012
panteradee
Dizziness with topiramate/Diamox   May 14, 2012
girl4him
pregnancy and lamictal and mysoline   May 14, 2012
ckonstas
Cole   May 12, 2012
MommaofMia3
seizure while sleeping   May 11, 2012
Fireball101
Neuro says it's not epilepsy but......   May 10, 2012
lotusbri
Nocturnal Seizures   May 10, 2012
kristy_1985
View all Stories
Related Media

Featured Video

Understanding Epilepsy