Diagnosing epileptic seizures just got a lot more precise, which is good news for patients coming to the UW Regional Epilepsy Center at Harborview.
“Our new EEG technology will allow us to get a much clearer picture of where epileptic seizures occur in the brain,” says Harborview physician Mark Holmes. “It also reduces the need for surgically implanting electrodes, which makes for quicker, more efficient diagnosis and a more pleasant experience for the patient.”
“Locating where seizures begin is critical for treating epilepsy,” says Dr. John Miller, director of the UW Regional Epilepsy Center at Harborview. “Our new Geodesic EEG system dramatically improves that process.”
The new Geodesic EEG system is a non-invasive way to accurately locate and map seizures as they happen, thus reducing the need for surgical brain monitoring. With traditional surgical monitoring, electrodes must be placed on the brain’s surface. This requires drilling into or removing areas of the skull. With the Geodesic EEG system, there’s no need for this.
EEG sensors are arranged in a web-like structure, or a Geodesic Sensor Net. The net produces a dense sensor array that permits rapid application of all the electrodes at one time. Features include:
- Ability to simultaneously apply up to 256 electrodes to map the brain in less than 10 minutes. This is compared with traditional systems that routinely record only 19 to 25 channels.
- Patient-friendly technology that requires no sedation, making this an option for newborns through adults.
- Minimal risk of infection, as there’s no scalp abrasion required.
According to Dr. Holmes, the Geodesic system was a logical step for UW Regional Epilepsy Center at Harborview, currently the only medical center in the world able to conduct long-term brain monitoring and mapping in a clinical setting. “The trick is to be monitoring your patient at the time they experience a seizure,” Holmes explains. “Geodesic has created technology that provides us with a much better chance of tracking the seizure.”
Dr. Holmes has worked closely with Geodesic Inc. to ensure that their Sensor Net is comfortable for patients to wear for long periods of time. “I consider this technology to be a breakthrough in the field of brain mapping for seizures,” says Dr. Holmes.
For more on epileptic seizures, see related article in Journal Newspapers
On Sunday, January 8, 8 - 9 a.m., Dr. Mark Holmes will discuss this new technology on Andrew Schorr's "Patient Power," on 570 AM KVI or via live video stream at http://www.patientpower.info/