Proton magnetic spectroscopy agreed better with magnetic resonance image to lateralization of epileptogenic zone than with surface electroencephalography.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the agreement rate of proton magnetic spectroscopy with magnetic resonance image (MRI) and surface electroencephalography (EEG) in extratemporal neocortical epilepsies. METHODS A cross-sectional study, type series of cases included 33 patients, age range 13-59 years old, of both gender, presenting structural alteration identified by MRI (75.8%) or by neurophysiologic techniques (72.7%). The variables were alterations of N-acetyl-aspartate/choline, N-acetyl-aspartate/creatine, choline/creatine, and N-acetyl-aspartate/cho-line+creatine coefficient of asymmetry. RESULTS Agreement rates of lateralization by coefficient of asymmetry of NAA/Cho, NAA/Cr, Co/Cr, and NAA/Cho+Cr with MRI, independent of alteration of surface EEG, were equal to 93.3, 57.9, 15.4, and 93.3%, respectively, modifying to 100, 33.3, 0, and 100%, in 16 patients, with lateralization agreement of MRI and surface EEG. CONCLUSION Proton magnetic spectroscopy agreed better with MRI to lateralization of epileptogenic zone than with surface EEG.