Integrated software for the detection of epileptogenic zones in refractory epilepsy

Author

Mottini, Alejandro ; Miceli, Franco ; Albin, Germán ; Nuñez, Margarita ; Ferrando, Rodolfo ; Aguerrebere, Cecilia ; Fernández, Alicia

Author_Institution

Inst. de Ing. Electr., Univ. de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay

fYear

2010

fDate

Aug. 31 2010-Sept. 4 2010

Firstpage

5700

Lastpage

5703

Abstract

In this paper we present an integrated software designed to help nuclear medicine physicians in the detection of epileptogenic zones (EZ) by means of ictal-interictal SPECT and MR images. This tool was designed to be flexible, friendly and efficient. A novel detection method was included (A-contrario) along with the classical detection method (Subtraction analysis). The software´s performance was evaluated with two separate sets of validation studies: visual interpretation of 12 patient images by an experimented observer and objective analysis of virtual brain phantom experiments by proposed numerical observers. Our results support the potential use of the proposed software to help nuclear medicine physicians in the detection of EZ in clinical practice.

Keywords

biomedical MRI; brain; diseases; medical image processing; neurophysiology; phantoms; single photon emission computed tomography; software performance evaluation; A-contrario detection method; MRI; epileptogenic zone detection; ictal-interictal SPECT; refractory epilepsy; subtraction analysis; virtual brain phantom experiments; Algorithm design and analysis; Biomedical imaging; Medical services; Nuclear medicine; Observers; Software; Software algorithms; Adolescent; Adult; Algorithms; Brain Mapping; Child; Child, Preschool; Epilepsy; Hippocampus; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Infant; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Reproducibility of Results; Software; Subtraction Technique; Time Factors; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; User-Computer Interface; Young Adult;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBC), 2010 Annual International Conference of the IEEE

Conference_Location

Buenos Aires

ISSN

1557-170X

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-4123-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEMBS.2010.5627879

Filename

5627879