Epilepsy for the neuroradiologist.

Diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, once the sole purview of the general practitioner or neurologist, has in recent years become a team effort. Modern management of epilepsy now benefits from the services not only of neurologists or subspecialized epileptologists, but also of specialized nursing personnel, surgeons, neuropsychologists, social workers, and counselors. Especially important is the input of a neuroradiologist with expertise in epilepsy. As will be seen below, neuroradiologic studies have become of key importance in identifying underlying causes of epilepsies and in assisting the multidisciplinary approach to locate the seizure focus or foci in the brain. Very recent advances also suggest that neuroradiologic studies will be important in mapping functional regions of the brain, which should be spared during seizure surgery. This article will provide an overview of epilepsy for the neuroradiologist. As a new member of the epilepsy team, the neuroradiologist should have familiarity with the different types of seizures, the usual causes of seizures, the clinical approach to diagnosis and therapy of epilepsy, and specific ways in which neuroradiologic studies can aid these processes.