Proton magnetic spectroscopy agreed better with magnetic resonance image to lateralization of epileptogenic zone than with surface electroencephalography.

Objective: To analyze the agreement rate of proton magnetic spectroscopy with magnetic resonance image (MRI) and surface electroencephalography (EEG) in extratemporal neocortical epilepsies.

Methods: A cross-sectional study, type series of cases included 33 patients, age range 13-59 years old, of both gender, presenting structural alteration identified by MRI (75.8%) or by neurophysiologic techniques (72.7%). The variables were alterations of N-acetyl-aspartate/choline, N-acetyl-aspartate/creatine, choline/creatine, and N-acetyl-aspartate/cho-line+creatine coefficient of asymmetry.

Results: Agreement rates of lateralization by coefficient of asymmetry of NAA/Cho, NAA/Cr, Co/Cr, and NAA/Cho+Cr with MRI, independent of alteration of surface EEG, were equal to 93.3, 57.9, 15.4, and 93.3%, respectively, modifying to 100, 33.3, 0, and 100%, in 16 patients, with lateralization agreement of MRI and surface EEG.

Conclusion: Proton magnetic spectroscopy agreed better with MRI to lateralization of epileptogenic zone than with surface EEG.