EEC 2022 | Diagnosing focal cortical dysplasia: new proposals

Iscia Lopes-Cendes, MD, PhD, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil, explains that the diagnosis of focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) relies heavily on neuroimaging to locate the lesion in the patient and perform surgery accordingly. Although appropriate imaging technology is available, some centers cannot afford the updated devices, especially in low-to-mid income countries. Consequently, the diagnosis of FCD is missed in many cases and it becomes difficult to reap the benefits of early surgeries in children. Recently, the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) FCD task force proposed an update on the classification of FCD. The aim was to achieve an integrated classification, utilizing information from immunohistochemistry, neuroimaging, and genetic tests to improve diagnostic yield and comprehensively diagnose FCD subtypes. This multi-level classification may make it easier to identify specific classes of patients that may respond better to certain drugs and support efforts to develop novel targeted treatments. This interview took place at the European Epilepsy Congress (EEC) 2022.