- How epilepsy is diagnosed
- EEG (electroencephalogram) tests
- CT scans (computerised tomography)
- MRI scans (magnetic resonance imaging)
- Blood tests
How epilepsy is diagnosed
There are a number of medical conditions that can cause symptoms similar to epilepsy. This can make epilepsy difficult to diagnose.
An epilepsy specialist will make a diagnosis based mainly on your symptoms. It can be helpful if somebody who has seen you have a seizure can give a description of what they saw happen. It can also be helpful if you keep a diary of your seizures. You can make a note of dates, times and a description of what happened, and how you were feeling before and after.
The epilepsy specialist may ask you to have some tests at the hospital. These include EEG tests and CT or MRI scans. None of these tests can prove that you do or do not have epilepsy, but they may give useful information. This includes the possible cause of your epilepsy and the type of seizures you have.
Tests used in the diagnosis of epilepsy
EEG (electroencephalogram) tests
An EEG test tells doctors about the electrical activity happening in your brain. An EEG only shows what is happening in your brain at the time the test is being done. It’s not able to show what has already happened or what is going to happen in the future. Despite this, an EEG can sometimes be very helpful to doctors when they are diagnosing epilepsy.
CT scans (computerised tomography)
A CT scan is a type of X-ray that shows the physical structure of the brain. It does not show if you have epilepsy. However it may show if there is anything in your brain, such as a scar, or damaged area, that could cause epilepsy. Not everyone will need to have a CT scan.
MRI scans (magnetic resonance imaging)
An MRI scanner uses radio waves and a magnetic field to show the physical structure of the brain. An MRI scanner is more powerful than a CT scanner. An MRI scan has a higher chance than a CT scan of showing something in your brain that could cause epilepsy. Not everyone will need to have an MRI scan.
Blood tests
These are used to check your general health, and to look for any medical conditions that might be causing your epilepsy. They can also be used to find out if your seizures are not caused by epilepsy, but another medical condition. An example of this is diabetes.
This information has been produced under the terms of The Information Standard.
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Updated June 2011To be reviewed June 2013
Comments: read the 6 comments or add yours
Comments
I cannot find a test to prove I do NOT have epilepsy. I have had 3 seizures in the past 12 years. The first 2 were diagnosed by English hospitals as 'strokes' due to a bleed in the brain. I take anticoagulant pills (because I have a plastic heart valve) and the bleeds were attributed to high blood pressure plus these polls. 12 months ago I had another seizure when on holiday. A foreign hospital did a CT scan and said it was an epileptic attack. It seems I will have to take antiepileptic pills for the rest of my life and be heavily penalised for car and travel insurance. In England I have had EEG and MRI scans. The English neurologists are noncommittal but are continuing the pills. Is there no way of ridding myself of this stigma? They seem to believe the prisoner is guilty unless he can prove he is innocent.
Hi
Epilepsy can be a very difficult medical condition to diagnose. This is because the symptoms of seizures can be similar to a number of different medical conditions. Also, the test that are currently available don’t necessarily prove that someone has epilepsy, or that they don’t have epilepsy. However, the tests could help the specialist to find what the problem is. An EEG will give an abnormal result if someone is having epileptic activity at the time of the test. If a seizure doesn’t happen, then the EEG is likely to be normal. Also, people with epilepsy can have a normal MRI scan.
Have you asked the specialist you saw in England, why they feel you could have epilepsy? It may be that due to normal test results they can’t give a definite diagnosis but they feel your symptoms point to epilepsy. So, they have given you epilepsy medicines to try and stop your attacks. Some people also find that after, such as, a strokes and a bleed in the brain these could be a cause for epilepsy.
You could ask your epilepsy specialist if it would be alright to try and come off your epilepsy medicine, if they are unsure that you have epilepsy. Then you could see whether they are helping to stop seizures.
If you are having problems with insurers you might want to try the companies we have schemes with, next time you want motor, or travel, insurance.
Rosanna
Advice and Information Tea
Ihave been diagnosed having focal seizures by my Neuro Physician.Reffered for INV MRI.This may be the initial stage .Now I will be extra precautious while driving.Thanks GOD for early detection.
hi all. i am new to this had a seizure in november 2012 while i was in bed early hours of the morning.bite me toungue and had the shakes.this was my first ever fit. had a mri scan and eeg scan.they both came back as normal. i left it 5 months then had to go back to see my doctor. but 5 days before my opointment i had another seizure. on my first seizure i had an ear infection and a cold. on my second seizure i have had the same symptons cold and ear infection could this trigger off my epilepsy. plus i have never been one to go to bed early at all. and i used to get stressed alot before my first fit. i have been put on medication now for my so called epilepsy and will have to give up driving for a year. i have noticed a small lump under the skin of my nostrul ? could this effect it. with lack of sleep. thanks all for reading. se
Hi Daniel
The best person to say if there was any connection between you seizures and you been unwell is your epilepsy consultant. For most people with epilepsy there is no known cause or trigger for them to develop epilepsy or to experience seizures. But for some people there are some things that make their seizures more likely. These are often referred to as ‘triggers’. Triggers are things like stress, not sleeping well and drinking too much alcohol. Some people say they have more seizures if they miss meals.
You may be interested in our online community, forum4e. This is for people with epilepsy and carers of people with epilepsy. People can find it really helpful to talk to other people in a similar situation and share experiences.
I hope you epilepsy consultant is able to answer your question.
I have had 2 'fits' bit through tonge on 2nd one etcsuppot and I've been told(cant remember ANY of what happened) howling like a animal!!!!! The 2nd one happened in A+E because I'd not felt well at work so went to the hospital.
The most worrying thing I find is that I feel that the NHS as cast me on a dessert island!!!!! Theres no follow up, no help with coming to terms with this AWFUL thing I've been labelled with, and I'm car and motorcycle CRAZY, and also run a building company!!!! I didn't want to go on living when I 1st found out!!!!!!!
The ONLY person that's helped me to sort of come to terms with this is my LOVELY wife Lynda!!!!
Specialist's PLEASE if you read this, Its SO much of a hammer blow, then left on our own to cope with our lives being turned upside down!!!!
Thanks,
Tony