The Role of Electrical Source Imaging in Pediatric Epilepsy and Pre-Surgical Evaluation

Abstract

Children with drug-resistant epilepsy undergo an extensive pre-surgical evaluation to determine the part of the brain thought to be the cause of seizures. The employment of non-invasive diagnostic imaging tools plays an important role in establishing surgical candidacy, preventing the need for invasive procedures. Electrical source imaging (ESI) has been explored as a modern alternative to traditional diagnostic techniques in pre-surgical workup. Through computational analysis of recorded electric potentials and individualized head scans, ESI provides a non-invasive method of obtaining more accurate localizations. However, its use within the clinical setting is limited. The following review looks to examine the literature surrounding ESI and advocates for its inclusion within the pre-surgical workup of children.