Morphometric analysis program combined with magnetoencephalogram in the localization of epileptogenic foci in MRI-negative pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy patients

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the value of morphometric analysis program (MAP) combined with magnetoencephalogram (MEG) in the localization of epileptogenic foci in MRI-negative pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy (MNPFE) patients. Methods: A total of 42 consecutive MNPFE patients from Epilepsy center, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2015 to December 2016 were enrolled. The analysis process of MAP and magnetoencephalography (MEG) were performed independently. When the MAP+ region and the MEG+ region was in the same lobe, the MAP+ region was defined as the MAP+MEG+ region. The analysis results of MAP and MEG were used to do correlation analysis with surgical outcomes separately or simultaneously. Results: The positive rate of MAP was 69% (29/42), and the complete resection of MAP+ region was significantly associated with seizure-free outcome (P=0.027). The positive detection rate of MEG was 100% (42/42), and there was no significant association between the complete resection of MEG+ region and seizure-free outcome (P=0.517). The positive rate of MAP+MEG+ was 43% (18/42), and the complete resection of MAP+MEG+ region was significantly associated with seizure-free outcome (P=0.009). Conclusion: The combination of MAP which indicates subtle structural abnormalities and MEG which pictures electrophysiological features could probably achieve better epileptogenic foci localization in MNPFE patients.