The Relationship between Electroencephalography Recording Results and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Abnormalities and Drug Resistance Focal Epilepsy: A Comparative Analysis Study in Bandung, Indonesia

Drug-resistant Epilepsy (ERO) is a complex problem, both in diagnosis and management, and carries a high risk of death and risk of cognitive and behavioral problems. This study aims to determine the relationship between EEG recording results and structural abnormalities from MRI examination results in Drug-Resistant Epilepsy (DRE).

Quantitative comparative analysis was conducted to study focal epilepsy recorded in the pediatric neurology outpatient of Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, 2018-2023. Data collected from medical records included patient demographics and clinical data, EEG recording results, and MRI examination results. Data were subjected to Chi-square analysis with the alternative Fisher's exact test in SPSS 26. A p-value <0.05 was declared significant.

From 67 samples, 34 DRE subjects and 33 drug-sensitive focal epilepsy (DSFO) subjects were obtained. More significant comorbidities were found in DRFO with a p-value of 0.027 and OR 8.88 (1.03-76.84). There was a significant difference in the results of EEG recordings in the two groups with p <0.001. The different EEG features were significant including slowing, polyspike, and frequency>1/60s. The MRI images were not found to be significantly different. The most common structural lesion found was focal cortical dysplasia in both groups. There was no correlation between MRI and EEG in DRE.

EEG recordings' results were better than MRI images' for predicting DRFO, including images of slowing, polyspike, and frequency >1/60. Both EEG and MRI had their respective values for predicting DRE.