Media Release

Neurosciences grant awarded for project to improve surgical outcomes for patients with epilepsy

26 March 2008

Dr Siewmin Gan has been awarded a $55,000 neuroscience research grant from Pfizer for her project: Clinical Application of Diffusion Tensor Imaging as a Pre-Operative Tool to Lateralize and Localize the Epileptogenic Focus and Predict Surgical Outcomes in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is one of the most common forms of focal epilepsy, and surgery is often the best treatment option for patients who do not respond to medication. However in up to 30 per cent of these patients, the seizure zone is not detectable using the standard MRI technique. This is important because successful surgery for these patients depends on precise localisation of the seizure zone. In addition, complications in patients after surgery for TLE include vision impairment and neuropsychological changes.

Dr Gan’s research will assess if Diffusion Tensor MRI, an advanced imaging technique can locate the seizure region, in the temporal lobe of the brain, in patients where this region could not be detected with the standard MRI and if it improves post-operative seizure outcome. The study will also assess whether this technique can predict the amount of visual field defect post-operatively, and be used as a pre-surgical diagnostic and planning tool.

This is a joint project between the RMH Department of Radiology Epilepsy Unit and the University of Melbourne.

Media contact: Katrina Coulson 0419 878 925.