Multimodality image-guided epilepsy surgery

Co-registration of imaging modalities in the diagnosis of epilepsy is now commonly used in major epilepsy centres. However, the incorporation of, these registrations into an image-guided system has only recently been developed. Using techniques of segmentation, surface matching and/or voxel-based matching, we have been able to co-register flair MRI, SPECT, PET, and subdural grids into the 3-D space of the volumertic MRI and use these images on the StealthStation Image-Guided System (TM) to resect these foci. This greatly aids the surgeon in performing a more precise tailoring of the cortical resection so as to maximize the excision of the epileptogenic zone while minimizing the impact on eloquent cortex an epileptogenic foci. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.