Background and purpose: Interictal hypometabolism has lateralizing value in cases of temporal lobe epilepsy and positive predictive value for seizure-free outcome after surgery to treat epilepsy. Alterations in regional cerebral metabolism can also be inferred from measurements of regional cerebral perfusion. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of detecting cerebral blood flow (CBF) asymmetries in the mesial temporal lobes using continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion MR imaging, which is a noninvasive method for calculating regional CBF.
Methods: Twelve patients with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy who underwent preoperative evaluation for temporal lobectomy and 12 normal control participants were studied retrospectively. Absolute and normalized mesial temporal CBF measurements were compared between the patient and control groups. Lateralization based on a perfusion asymmetry index was compared with metabolic ((18)[F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography) and hippocampal volumetric asymmetry indices and with clinical lateralization.
Results: Mesial temporal CBF was more asymmetric in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy than in normal control participants, although asymmetric mesial temporal CBF was also found in normal participants, with the left side dominant. Ipsilateral mesial temporal CBF was significantly decreased compared with contralateral mesial temporal CBF in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Global CBF measurements were significantly decreased in patients compared with control participants. Asymmetry in mesial temporal blood flow in patients persisted after normalization to global CBF. Lateralization using continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion MR imaging asymmetry index significantly correlated with lateralization based on (18)[F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography hypometabolism, hippocampal volumes, and clinical evaluation.
Conclusion: Continuous arterial spin labeling perfusion MR imaging can detect interictal asymmetries in mesial temporal lobe perfusion in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. This technique is readily combined with routine structural assessment and potentially offers an inexpensive and noninvasive means of screening for asymmetries in interictal mesial temporal lobe function.