EEC 2022 | The predictive power of HFOs for detecting the epileptogenic zone

Maeike Zijlmans, PhD, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, comments on the predictive value of high frequency oscillations (HFOs) in patients with epilepsy as a diagnostic or prognostic tool. The presence of pathological HFOs can aid in localizing the epileptogenic zone and predicting surgery outcomes. Dr Zijlmans comments on a study from her center which recorded HFOs during surgery, both before resection and after resection. Whether or not HFOs remained after epilepsy surgery was predictive of if the patient would remain seizure free. This demonstrates the clinical value of HFOs in identifying the epileptogenic zone during surgery. It has additionally been questioned whether scalp HFOs can be used to find the epileptogenic area. While the signal is less strong, there is thought to be some predictive value and research continues to address ways to improve these recordings. This interview took place at the 14th European Epilepsy Congress (EEC) 2022 in Geneva, Switzerland.