Epilepsy : Tests

To be diagnosed with epilepsy and seizure disorders, the person must have had spontaneous, recurrent seizures with no immediate cause. A physical examination (including a detailed neuromuscular examination) may be normal, or it may show abnormal b...

Epilepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent seizures that may include repetitive muscle jerking called convulsions. A seizure is a sudden disruption of the brain's normal electrical activity accompanied by altered consciousness and/or other...

Epilepsy is a chronic (persistent) disorder of the nervous system. The primary symptoms of this disease are periodic or recurring seizures that are triggered by sudden episodes of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term "seizure" refer...

A seizure is a sudden disruption of the brain's normal electrical activity accompanied by altered consciousness and/or other neurological and behavioral manifestations. Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by recurrent seizures that m...

Epilepsy is a chronic (persistent) disorder of the nervous system. The primary symptoms of this disease are periodic or recurring seizures that are triggered by sudden episodes of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term "seizure" refer...

A seizure is a sudden disruption of the brain's normal electrical activity accompanied by an alteration in consciousness or other neurological and behavioral manifestations. Epilepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent seizures that may incl...

A seizure is a sudden disruption of the brain's normal electrical activity accompanied by altered consciousness and/or other neurological and behavioral manifestations. Epilepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent seizures that may include r...

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a term that refers to a condition where seizures are generated in the portion of the brain called the temporal lobe. Either the right or the left temporal lobe can be involved, and in rare cases both temporal lobes ...

The words "epilepsy" and "epileptic" are of Greek origin and have the same root as the verb "epilambanein," which means "to seize" or "to attack." Therefore, epilepsy means seizure, while epileptic means seized. In the modern understanding of epil...

BUN stands for blood urea nitrogen. Urea nitrogen is what forms when protein breaks down. A test can be done to measure the amount of urea nitrogen in the blood.

The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test measures the level of urea nitrogen in a sample of the patient ' s blood. Urea is a substance that is formed in the liver when the body breaks down protein.

A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following: The number of red blood cells (RBCs; The number of white blood cells (WBCs; The total amount of hemoglobin in the blood; The fraction of the blood composed of red blood cells (hematocrit; The mean corpuscular volume (MCV) - the size of the red blood cells. CBC also includes information about the red blood cells that is calculated from the other measurements: MCH (mean corpuscular hemoglobin; MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. The platelet count is also usually included in the CBC.

One of the most commonly ordered clinical laboratory tests, a blood count, also called a complete blood count (CBC), is a basic evaluation of the cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) suspended in the liquid part of the blood (plasma). It involves determining the numbers, concentrations, and conditions of the different types of blood cells.

A complete blood count (CBC) is a series of tests used to evaluate the composition and concentration of the cellular components of blood. It consists of the following tests: red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count; measurement of hemoglobin and mean red cell volume; classification of white blood cells (WBC differential); and calculation of hematocrit and red blood cell indices .

The clinical laboratory test that evaluates the three main cellular components of peripheral blood (red cells, white cells, and platelets) is called the " complete blood count " (CBC). It is used commonly to assess whether a patient is anemic (low red cell count), has an infection (increased white blood cells), or has abnormal blood coagulation (platelet levels).

A complete blood count (CBC) is a series of tests used to evaluate the composition and concentration of the cellular components of blood. It consists of the following tests: red blood cell (RBC) count, white blood cell (WBC) count, and platelet count; measurement of hemoglobin and mean red cell volume; classification of white blood cells (WBC differential); and calculation of hematocrit and red blood cell indices .

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a laboratory test to examine a sample of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This fluid is a clear, watery liquid that protects the central nervous system from injury and cushions it from the surrounding bone structure.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a set of laboratory tests that examine a sample of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This fluid is an ultrafiltrate of plasma.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis is a set of laboratory tests that examine a sample of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This fluid is an ultrafiltrate of plasma.

A cranial CT scan is computed tomography of the head, including the skull, brain, orbits (eye sockets), and sinuses.

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test to detect problems in the electrical activity of the brain.

Electroencephalography (EEG)Electroencephalography(EEG)is a test that measures your brain wave activity. It is used to assess your brain function.What Is EEG Used For?

Having an Electroencephalography (EEG)TipsTry to relax and remain still.Avoid talking during the test.You will sit in a reclining chair or lie down on an exam table in a softly lighted room. The technologist will measure certain points on your head.

Detailed information on electroencephalogram (EEG), including steps that should be taken to prepare your child for the EEG

An electroencephalogram (EEG), also called a brain wave test, is a diagnostic test which measures the electrical activity of the brain (brain waves) using highly sensitive recording equipment attached to the scalp by fine electrodes. Purpose EEG is performed to detect abnormalities in the electrical activity of the brain which may help diagnose the presence and type of various brain disorders, to look for causes of confusion, and to evaluate head injuries, tumors, infections, degenerative diseases, and other disturbances that affect the brain.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, is a neurological test that uses an electronic monitoring device to measure and record electrical activity in the brain. Purpose The EEG is a key tool in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy and other seizure disorders.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a neurological diagnostic procedure that records the changes in electrical potentials ( brain waves) in various parts of the brain. Purpose The EEG is an important aid in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy and other seizure disorders, as well as in the diagnosis of brain damage related to trauma and diseases such as strokes, tumors, encephalitis, and drug and alcohol intoxication.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, is a neurological test that involves attaching electrodes to the head of a person to measure and record electrical activity in the brain over time. Purpose The EEG, also known as a brain wave test, is a key tool in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy and other seizure disorders.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, is a neurological test that involves attaching electrodes to the head of a patient to measure and record electrical activity in the brain over time. Purpose The EEG, also known as a brain wave test, is a key tool in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy and other seizure disorders.

The electroencephalography (EEG) unit is used to record the electrical output of the brain to produce a record called an electroencephalogram. Purpose Measurements taken by an electroencephalography unit are used to diagnose and classify disorders of the brain including seizures, encephalopathy, encephalitis, some psychiatric diseases, and brain death.

Electroencephalography, or EEG, is a neurological test that involves attaching electrodes to the head of a person to measure and record electrical activity in the brain over time. Purpose The EEG, also known as a brain wave test, is a key tool in the diagnosis and management of epilepsy and other seizure disorders.

During a physical examination, a health care provider studies a patient's body to determine the presence or absence of physical problems. A typical physical examination includes: Inspection (looking at the body; Palpation (feeling the body with hands; Auscultation (listening to sounds; Percussion (producing sounds.

Kidney function tests are common procedures used to evaluate renal function. Refer to the following documents for details of how each test is performed: Creatinine; Creatinine - urine; Creatinine clearance; BUN.

Kidney function tests are a cadre of tests that are used to screen for and manage renal disease. Tests commonly used for this purpose are plasma creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), electrolytes, and routine urinalysis .

Kidney function tests is a collective term for a variety of individual tests and procedures that can be done to evaluate how well the kidneys are functioning. A doctor who orders kidney function tests and uses the results to assess the functioning of the kidneys is called a nephrologist.

Kidney function tests is a collective term for a variety of individual tests and procedures that can be done to evaluate how well the kidneys are functioning. Purpose The kidneys, the body ' s natural filtration system, perform many vital functions, including removing metabolic waste products from the bloodstream, regulating the body ' s water balance, and maintaining the pH (acidity/alkalinity) of the body ' s fluids.

Liver function tests, or LFTs, include tests for bilirubin, a breakdown product of hemoglobin, and ammonia, a protein byproduct that is normally converted into urea by the liver before being excreted by the kidneys. LFTs also commonly include tests to measure levels of several enzymes, which are special proteins that help the body break down and use (metabolize) other substances.

Detailed information on the most common liver function tests, including serum bilirubin test, serum albumin test, serum alkaline phosphatase test, serum aminotransferases, prothrombin time test, alanine transaminase test, aspartate transaminase test, gamm

Liver function tests, or LFTs, include tests that are routinely measured in all clinical laboratories. LFTs include bilirubin, a compound formed by the breakdown of hemoglobin; ammonia, a breakdown product of protein that is normally converted into urea by the liver before being excreted by the kidneys; proteins that are made by the liver including total protein, albumin, prothrombin, and fibrinogen; cholesterol and triglycerides, which are made and excreted via the liver; and the enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).

Liver function tests, or LFTs, include tests that are routinely measured in all clinical laboratories. LFTs include bilirubin, a compound formed by the catabolism of hemoglobin; ammonia, a product of protein catabolism that is normally converted into urea by the liver before being excreted by the kidneys ; proteins that are made by the liver including total protein, albumin, prothrombin, and fibrinogen; cholesterol and triglycerides, which are made and excreted via the liver; and the enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).

An MRI of the head is a noninvasive procedure that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to construct clear, detailed pictures of brain tissues. Conventional radiography and computed tomographic (CT) imaging use potentially harmful radiation (x-rays) that passes through a patient to generate images. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is based on the magnetic properties of atoms, and there is no exposure to the same type of radiation used in x-rays and CT scans. A powerful magnet generates a magnetic field roughly 10,000 times stronger than the Earth's. A very small percentage of hydrogen atoms within the body will align with this field. Radio wave pulses are broadcast towards the aligned hydrogen atoms in tissues of interest, returning a signal of their own. The slight differences of those signals from different tissues enables MRI to tell the difference between various organs, and potentially, provide contrast between benign and malignant tissue. Any imaging angle, or "slice", can be projected, and then stored in a computer or printed on film. MRI can easily be performed through clothing and bones. However, certain types of metal in or around the area of interest can cause significant errors in the reconstructed images. These errors are called artifacts.

Like all other parts of the body, the brain and central nervous system are made up of cells that ordinarily grow and divide to create new cells as needed. This is usually an orderly process; but when cells lose their ability to grow normally or to die off naturally, they divide too often and produce tumors that are made up of these extra cells.

Part of the central nervous system located in the skull. Controls mental and physical actions of the organism.

Congenital brain defects are a group of disorders of brain development that are present at birth. Brain development begins shortly after conception and continues throughout the growth of a fetus.

Brain abscess is a bacterial infection within the brain. The brain is usually well insulated from infection by bacteria, protected by the skull, the meninges (tissue layers surrounding the brain), the immune system, and the highly regulated barrier between the bloodstream and the brain.

A brain biopsy is the removal of a small piece of brain tissue for the diagnosis of abnormalities of the brain, such as Alzheimer ' s disease , tumors, infection, or inflammation. Purpose By examining the tissue sample under a microscope, the biopsy sample provides doctors with the information necessary to guide diagnosis and treatment.

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue in the brain. Unlike other tumors, brain tumors spread by local extension and rarely metastasize (spread) outside the brain.

Congenital brain defects are a group of disorders of brain development. Brain development begins shortly after conception and continues throughout the growth of a fetus.

The brain is the part of the central nervous system located in the skull. It controls the mental processes and physical actions of a human being.

The brain is a large mass of soft nervous tissue made up of both neurons and supporting glial cells lying within the cranium of the skull. The brain contains both gray and white matter.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners rely on the principles of atomic nuclear-spin resonance. Using strong magnetic fields and radio waves, MRI collects and correlates deflections caused by atoms into images.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the result of physical trauma to the head causing damage to the brain. This damage can be focal, or restricted to a single area of the brain, or diffuse, affecting more than one region of the brain.

The brain is the part of the central nervous system (CNS) inside the skull (the part outside the skull is the spinal cord ). It gives rise to cognitive thought processes and controls various body functions including muscular activity, speech, sight, hearing , breathing, and digestion.

A brain tumor is an abnormal growth of tissue, either malignant (cancerous) or benign (noncancerous), in the brain. Each year, more than 17,000 brain tumors are diagnosed in the United States.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging test that uses a radioactive substance (called a tracer) to look for disease in the body. Unlike magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scans, which reveal the structure of organs, a PET scan shows how the organs and tissues are functioning. See also: Bone scan; Lung scan; Nuclear ventriculography; Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan; Renal scan; Thyroid scan.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a noninvasive scanning technique that utilizes small amounts of radioactive positrons (positively charged particles) to visualize body function and metabolism. PET is the fastest growing nuclear medicine tool in terms of increasing acceptance and applications.

PET Scan Use in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment MonitoringFinding cancer at its earliest stage can give the best chance of being able to cure it. Different tests are used to find cancers and to help find out if the cancer has spread.

Rather than showing the structure of a body part, PET images show the chemical function of an organ or tissue. PET can show changes in how an organ or tissue works. This can help your healthcare provider diagnose problems and develop a treatment plan for you.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a scanning technique used in conjunction with small amounts of radiolabeled compounds to visualize brain anatomy and function. A PET scan showing brain activity while patient recognizes faces- left sides at left/right sides at right.

Therapeutic drug level are laboratory tests to look for the presence and the amount of specific drugs in the blood.

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), or simply drug monitoring, is the measurement of drug levels in the blood . Purpose TDM is employed to measure blood drug levels so that the most effective dosage can be determined and toxicity can be prevented.

Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine, which is an important part of muscle. A serum creatinine test measures the amount of creatinine in the blood. Creatinine can also be measured with a urine test. See: Creatinine - urine

Creatine is an important compound produced by the body. It combines with phosphorus to make a high-energy phosphate compound in the body.

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is an imaging study that uses radioactive materials injected through a vein that will pass into the brain generating a high-resolution brain image. SPECT is used to diagnose head trauma, epilepsy, dementia , and cerebrovascular disease.

Single proton (or photon) emission computed tomography (SPECT) allows a physician to see three-dimensional images of a person ' s particular organ or body system. SPECT detects the course of a radioactive substance that is injected, ingested, or inhaled.