Sometimes epilepsy is caused by changes in the structure of the brain. These can be such things as too much spinal fluid (hydrocephalus), scar tissue, or a tangle of blood vessels (vascular malformation). Tests that can take pictures of the brain, called “neuroimaging,” can tell doctors whether you have one of these conditions. These tests are performed to look for the cause of your seizures (which can be identified for about half of patients) or to make sure that you don’t have some other medical condition.
The most common neuroimaging tests for epilepsy are computed tomography (CT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Both produce a picture of how the brain looks. MRI is preferred because it provides more information than CT. In fact, MRI is recommended as the imaging test of choice.
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