Magnetoencephalographic localization of epileptic focus and functional cortex mapping for epilepsy surgery

Objective To determine if the Magnetoencephalography(MEG)could provide useful information in the planning of epilepsy surgery.Methods MEG was used to locate the epilepsy focus and the functional cortex in 216 patients with intractable epilepsy,and the MEG neuronavigation system was used in the operations in 18 cases.Results According to Engel standard of curative effect,classⅠ71.75%,classⅡ10.19%,classⅢ8.80%,classⅣ9.26% among the 216 patients.Epilepsy focus localization coincidence between MEG and ECoG was 87.9%.No patient experienced permanent surgery-related complications.Conclusions MEG is an important noninvasive tool that provides critical information about the spatial relationship of epilepsy focus and functional cortex,combined with neuronavigation,MEG preoperative and intraoperative functional brain mapping may contribute to less invasive and more accurate surgery of epilepsy.