PET and SPECT Imaging of Epilepsy: Technical Considerations, Pathologies, and Pitfalls

Epilepsy is generated by a plethora of varying pathologies, structural lesions, and pathways and may significantly impact a patient's livelihood. The combination of clinical semiology, electroencephalogram, and magnetic resonance imaging often fails to identify a structural seizure focus. The addition of functional radionuclide imaging is complementary to structural imaging and essential when structural imaging is discordant or inconclusive. The understanding of the key radiopharmaceuticals, imaging techniques, spectrum of disease processes, and potential pitfalls is necessary for diagnosis and surgical planning in epilepsy.