Attribute ranking for lateralizing focal epileptogenicity in temporal lobe epilepsy

A consensus feature-ranking approach has been applied to the study of localization-related temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in order to evaluate the relative discriminative power of individual attributes. Cases were selected on the basis of a postoperative outcome free of disabling seizures (i.e., Engel class I) in order to establish a definitive laterality of focal epileptogenicity. Several quantitative measures made available by imaging and electrographic studies are considered and the most discriminative of these are quantitatively prioritized for the lateralization of focal epileptogenicity. Cases requiring extraoperative electrocorticography were examined as a subgroup to establish whether the current method of analysis could distinguish laterality sufficiently well to avoid the requirement for intracranial electrode implantation.