MRI BRAIN EPILEPSY STUDY

Just so you know there are no tests that can test for epilepsy and always gives a definitive correct answer - some tests like EEG or imaging can show some issues. Generalized epilepsy comes out easier on EEG but MRI isn't usually useful; partial epilepsy may have nothing show up on many EEGs (even iEEG can be hit or miss), MRI may look normal and yet a piece of removed brain may show problems that MRI can't see. So having a test/image show something is helpful, one can still have epilepsy even if the test/imaging is clear (negative/clear test does not mean one doesn't have epilepsy). Epilepsy diagnosis isn't always so straightforward, they often have to eliminate everything else. Unless your neurologist is an epilepsy specialist then consulting an epileptologist could save you wear and tear on diagnosing something that might be epilepsy. Not all neurologists are great with epilepsy. If you are seeing the neurologist for something else, they may not realize they aren't the best doc in that situation as they may think they know you. I don't know how easy it is for you to consult another specialist. Your language implies you are outside the US in the UK or other British speaking country.Sometimes they see something on an MRI to explain one's symptoms - be it related to epilepsy or some other situation. With odd neuro issues imaging is fairly common. There are different imaging protocols. E.g. really common to see sclerosis with temporal lobe epilepsy, so they will look because that is a form of epilepsy where if medication doesn't control seizures, surgery gets good results. Sure it's easier if they can explain something with imaging. It's more common to have MR imaging with a 3T machine but there are better machines that are used for research that show more and some places only have less powerful systems where they'll see less.I think the bigger questions are... have you had any EEGs? Longer ones with sleep deprivation can have better info than shorter and without.

Hi Amy Jo, thanks so much for your reply! Yes, I am indeed from Ireland-great detective work! ;) Unfortunately, our public healthcare system here is pretty poor and I have only decided this week to take the private route and seek the help of an epileptologist-however, I believe there is still quite a long wait, although less so compared to the public route.In the meantime, I have received this public appointment in the post. I had received no prior EEG testing myself, just an older MRI scan without contrast from my local hospital that the public neurologist worked from. It was all pretty poor groundwork completed on their behalf to be honest. They spent 30 minutes chatting to me and made a diagnosis from there.He has stated however at a recent appointment that he would be ordering an EEG to be conducted so I will await that letter to come through also. I have no idea whether that will be a sleep deprived EEG, I hope it will. The neurologist I was dealing with didn't exactly have the best manner (putting it politely) and we did not have the most positive of experiences the last time we visited. In the meantime I will look forward to hopefully receiving a private appointment with a different consultant and getting my testing conducted sooner. Again, thanks so much for your help-I have a clearer understanding of the process now.