New scan may lead to better treatment for epilepsy

Australian scientists have found that new technology may help in the treatment of epilepsy.

A new Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan which uses the nuclear medicine imaging agent, 18F labelled Flumazenil (18FMZ) accurately pinpoints the area of seizure in the brain and knowing exactly where the seizure occurs, allows doctors to more accurately prescribe treatments.

This is good news for Australians with epilepsy as the scans will provide additional information to current methods used such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Dr. Rob Ware, Clinical Director at the Cooperative Research Centre for Biomedical Imaging Development Ltd (CRCBID) who developed the process says by accurately identifying the seizure focus in a significant number of patients, doctors can more accurately prescribe and monitor treatment or recommend surgery, ultimately improving the lives of patients, who often have significant medical psychological and economic difficulties as a result of their disorder.

The study conducted by the University of Melbourne, Royal Melbourne Hospital, the CRCBID, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, worked together to prepare 18FMZ, was presented by Dr. Ron Weiner on at the ANZ Nuclear Medicine conference in Sydney, Australia on 25th April 2009.

Along with commercial radiopharmaceutical supplier Cyclotek, the product could eventually be marketed and supplied.

Dr. Ware says at present one third of epilepsy patients cannot be adequately controlled with medications, or the Dr.ugs lead to unacceptable side effects and neurological surgery is only an effective treatment for a small proportion because of problems localising the source of the seizure.

Dr. Ware says the radiopharmaceutical 18FMZ may help to solve this issue as MRI's cannot identify the seizure focus in a significant number of patients.

Dr. Weiner from ANSTO says the challenge for the researchers was to replace the fluorine atom in the molecule with an atom of radioactive 18Fluorine - once this was done a radioactive 109 minutes clinical application was possible with epilepsy patients.

The research revealed that in rats 18FMZ was highly effective at targeting the brain receptor of clinical interest.