BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the added value of NeuroGam software analysis in the localization diagnosis of epileptogenic zone during interictal phase of seizures.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The clinical data of 67 patients, clinically diagnosed as epilepsy, were analyzed retrospectively. Visual analysis and NeuroGam software analysis were used for independent analysis. The 2 methods were used to compare the efficacy indicator of the diagnosis of epileptogenic zone, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve evaluated the diagnostic efficacy.

RESULTS: Through the final clinical diagnostic comprehensive localization, among 67 epilepsy patients, the epileptogenic zone in 51 cases could be located distinctly, and those in 16 cases could not be located. Compared to the visual analysis, the NeuroGam software analysis was more sensitive in the location of epileptogenic zone (χ²=4.876, P=0.027). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the NeuroGam software and visual analyses was 0.760 and 0.689, (0.613, 0.908) and (0.547, 0.832), respectively. However, the consistency of the 2 methods was poor (Kappa=0.367, P=0.001). Compared to visual analysis, the NeuroGam software analysis exerted more advantages in the localization diagnosis of the epileptogenic zone (P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: In the location diagnosis of brain perfusion, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) epileptogenic zone was used in interictal phase of seizures, and NeuroGam software analysis exerted a distinct added value for visual analysis.

Keywords: Brain, Epilepsy, Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon