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Can CT Scan detect Epilepsy?
Thu, 06/02/2016 - 00:33Hi,
My spouse had a seizure and we suspect it might be epilepsy. We visited Primary Care physical who referred for CT scan of the brain. We have reservation that CT Scan will detect Epilepsy . Should we ask PCP for MRI Scan or CT scan will be sufficient for early detection of epilepsy?
Please advice
Thanks
A PCP can have a SCAN run but
Submitted by just_joe on Thu, 2016-06-02 - 15:55
A PCP can have a SCAN run but it is to see if there is anything on the brain. The MRI shown more specifics of the brain which will show different thngs. Like a cell malformation or scar tissue. Those can be sound. But they will not show the electrical output from the brain. Kind of like a scan from th hart or MRI of the heart show hte heart as it was when it was done. and it to doesn't show the electrical output coming from i.The PCP can listen and make a determination as to whether your spouse needs to see a specialist. Specialists do tests and for epilepsy they will generally run 2. One would be a EEG. A brain wave test showing the electrical output comong from the brain. If thay ae an abnormality they know where in the brain it cam from. Which is when they will look at the eeg. If they then see something different in the MRI they can determine if that could be the cause of epilepsy or seizures. I had 20-25 differen't EEG's that came back normal. Testing was being done to find out if I had epilepsy and possiably the cause. The last test was another EEG in which I fell asleep in. They asw abnormalitie (spikes or waves aka seizure activity) by knowing where they came from the neurologists then went back to the MRI and a closer look at it they then found scar tissue in the left pobes of my brain.So to your question No yo uneed to have the PCP refer your spouse to reffer you to a neurologist that specializes in epilepsy.