A meta-analysis of SPECT brain imaging in @entity302 was performed to derive the sensitivity and specificity of interictal, postictal or ictal rCBF patterns to identify a @entity410 focus in medically refractory @entity1 . METHODS: Papers were obtained by pooling all published articles identified by two independent literature searches: (a) Dialnet (EMBASE) or Radline by CD-ROM and (b) Current Contents searched manually. Literature inclusion criteria were: (a) @entity1 had a localization-related @entity302 ; (b) more than six @entity1 were reported; and (c) @entity1 had at least an interictal EEG-documented @entity302 . Of 46 papers meeting these criteria, 30 contained extractable data. SPECT results were compared to localization by standard diagnostic evaluation and surgical outcome. Meta-analytic sensitivities for SPECT localization in @entity1 with @entity410 relative to diagnostic evaluation were 0.44 (interictal), 0.75 (postictal) and 0.97 (ictal). Similar results were obtained relative to surgical outcome. False-positive rates were low relative to diagnostic evaluation (7.4% for interictal and 1.5% for postictal studies) and surgical outcome (4.4% for interictal and 0.0% for postictal studies). RESULTS: The results were not dependent on tracer used (or dose), the presence of CT-identified structural abnormalities, blinding of image interpretation or camera quality (although data were more variable with low-resolution cameras). There were insufficient data for conclusions regarding extratemporal- @entity410 or @entity302 . CONCLUSION: Insights gained from reviewing this literature yielded recommendations for minimal information that should be provided in future reports. Additional recommendations regarding the nature and focus of future studies also are provided. The most important of these is that institutions using SPECT imaging in @entity302 should perform ictal, preferably, or postictal scanning in combination with interictal scanning.

SPECT brain imaging in XXXX : a meta-analysis.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients'] @entity410 :: ('MESH:D012640', 'Disease') :: ['seizure', 'temporal lobe seizures'] @entity302 :: ('MESH:D004827', 'Disease') :: ['epileptic syndrome', 'epilepsy', 'pediatric epilepsy populations', 'epileptiform abnormality']
@entity302 :: (MESH:D004827,Disease) :: ['epilepsy']
