a ct scanner. |
what tests are used to diagnose epilepsy It is possible to diagnose epilepsy by looking for certain brain behaviour or activity by scanning the brain. Sometimes there are no abnormal results, as epilepsy is a complex and often irregular disease, it may appear in many different forms. Tests that may be used to discover causes or factors of epilepsy are an EEG (electroencephalogram), a CT (computerized tomography) scan, or even a blood test. When there is an extremely urgent case to be diagnosed, a spinal tap test, or EKG (electrocardiogram).
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different types of tests An EEG (electroencephalogram) detects electrical activity in the brain. Certain patterns are looked at for changes, to see if the electrical activity is related to seizures.
A CT (computerized tomography) scan takes x-ray images of a brain, layer by layer. This shows tissues and and blood vessels very clearly, and is used to see if there are physical factors increasing likelihood of seizures. A blood test is sometimes used to see if the patient has any medical ailments that might be a component in a patient's seizures. |
an eeg test. A spinal tap test is the extraction of the cerebrospinal fluid from between the vertebrae. It is used to diagnose nervous system disorders, and can be used to diagnose cancer as well.
An EKG (electrocardiogram) is the monitoring of your heart rate and electrical activity in the heart. This is less used than the other methods because it only monitors the heart. |