BRAIN STRUCTURE WITH 7 TESLA MRI IN EPILEPSY

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Many patients with epilepsy have normal brain MRI with current imaging protocols. This research protocol will address questions of whether 7 T MRI can detect lesions in epilepsy patients whose 3 T MRI was normal, and whether lesions detected with 3 T MRI will be shown to be more extensive or otherwise be better characterized with 7 T MRI. Hypothesis 1: In an epilepsy sub-group with normal cerebral 3 T MRI, cerebral structural abnormalities can be detected with 7 T MRI. Hypothesis 2: In an epilepsy sub-group with cerebral lesions on 3 T MRI, additional relevant strucutral information concerning the lesions will be provided with 7 T imaging. Hypothesis 3: In both epilepsy sub-groups (those with and without cerebral lesions on 3 T MRI), fiber tracts of the limbic system ipsilateral to the ictal onset zone will be reduced in volume compared with those of the healthy adult subjects. We will acquire structural brain MRI and DTI data with the 7 T unit of the CMRR in 10 healthy volunteers and in 20 patients with fully diagnosed, symptomatic epilepsy (who in 10 cases have normal cerebral 3 T MRI and in 10 cases have cerebral lesions on 3 T MRI), and analyze these data qualitatively and volumetrically. We will develop 7 T MRI acquisition and analysis software and protocols, and estimate 7 T MRI sensitivity and specificity in detecting cerebral gray and white matter abnormalities, so as to plan future definitive testing of Hypotheses 1-3 in a larger study