Epilepsy: Diagnositc advances broaden treatment options
Patients who experience seizures are frequently misdiagnosed or not accurately diagnosed, which often leads to inadequate treatment. Although anti-seizure medications can be effective in helping to hold seizures at bay, an accurate diagnosis of the underlying causes can open the door to additional treatment options, including surgery, when seizures are not well controlled.
At University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, specialists in epilepsy continue to fine-tune and pioneer ways to diagnose and treat epilepsy, using some of the latest technology available including 7 Tesla MRI. According to Thomas Henry, MD, epileptologist with University of Minnesota Physicians, “It is essential to start with an accurate diagnosis, and at the medical center we have imaging capabilities that allow us to investigate with great precision even the smallest brain lesions that cause seizures.”
Imaging with pinpoint precision
Henry has long focused his talents on advancing brain imaging at the medical center for patients with epilepsy. By capturing and understanding the brain’s intricacies through advanced imaging, neurologists and neurosurgeons are able to hone in on scar tissue in the brain and determine exactly which areas are causing seizures. This pinpoint-precision imaging—along with the most advanced video EEG capabilities available for monitoring the brain’s electrical activity—allows the team at the medical center to recommend medications or surgical procedures to best meet individual patient needs.
Leading-edge epilepsy surgery
When high doses of anti-seizure medications are no longer effective, some patients can benefit from surgical resection of the affected area of the brain. When this area is not attached to memory function, neurosurgeons may be able to remove a small area of brain tissue with precision that preserves critical brain function.
The combination of advanced imaging with the latest surgical techniques is proving successful in reducing or even eliminating seizures in many patients, and paves the way for the future of caring for epilepsy patients.
To refer a patient, call 612-672-7000. For a patient consultation—available 24/7—call 612-672-7575.
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