Advanced MRI Techniques to Identify Epileptic Brain Networks in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy Compared to Standard Stereo-EEG

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating ways to improve the non-invasive identification of epileptogenic networks in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. The study compares the accuracy of network identification using advanced MRI techniques against the current gold standard, stereo-EEG. The goal is to analyze how these MRI sequences impact patient selection and target identification for epilepsy treatment. Participants already selected for stereo-EEG will undergo an additional MRI scan lasting about one hour. This MRI includes sequences such as 3D T1, resting-state functional MRI rs-fMRI, and multishell diffusion imaging. The rs-fMRI data will be processed to map epileptogenic networks using Independent Component Analysis. Diffusion data will be analyzed to identify connections between brain regions and assess their integrity with various algorithms. Patients who later undergo epilepsy surgery will have follow-up MRI scans three months after the procedure to study network changes. During the study, participants will have MRI scans before stereo-EEG implantation and, if applicable, follow-up MRIs after surgery. Researchers will evaluate network identification and quantification from MRI at the end of the first phase, prognosis of network targeting one year post-surgery, and the value of adding epileptic network imaging to standard epilepsy work-ups approximately one year after the third phase starts. The study involves no masking and is sponsored by Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc - Universit Catholique de Louvain.

Epileptogenic Network Visualisation With Advanced MRI