Ann Neurol Surg | Volume 1, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access

Using Fuzzy C-Means Index Matrix on Magnetic Resonance Images to Define Possible Cortical Malformations with Epilepsy – A Pilot Study

Yue-Loong Hsin Tomor Harnod and Tzu-Wang Shen

¹ Department of Neurology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taiwan ² Tzu Chi University, Taiwan ³ Department of Neurosurgery, Hualien Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taiwan ⁴ Department of Medical Informatics, Tzu Chi University, Taiwan

^*Correspondance to: tzu-wang 

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Abstract

Background: Cortical malformations are important etiologies of brain developmental disorders and epileptic seizures. However, the limitations of resolution on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cause a high percentage of cerebral cortical malformations invisible on regular images. Methods: Our method was developed to enhance the degree or value of blurring in the area between gray and white matters which meets the common features of cerebral cortical malformation on MR images. We retrospectively reviewed the data of six patients who had defined their seizure foci by electroencephalography recordings. Regular MR images were performed in these patients on a 1.5- T scanner with fast spoiled gradient echo sequence. The algorithm developer investigated the MRI data without knowing any clinical information. We applied the fuzzy analysis to generate a fuzzy C-means index matrix (FIM) and quantify the degree of blurring in the area between gray and white matters to meet features of cerebral cortical malformation. Results: Comparing results of FIM in all square fragments allowed noting the areas with higher values than the background. The enhancement procedures could successfully pointed out the blurring regions of gray-white matter junctions and those highly matched the electroencephalography identified foci. Our FIM technique successfully identified five out of six cases with possible cerebral cortical malformations which corresponding to their epilepsies. Conclusion: Using FIM technique can identify cerebral cortical malformation or microdisorganization. This technique can help physicians define possible seizure focus.

Keywords:

Cortical malformation; Epilepsy; Fuzzy C-means; MRI

Citation:

Hsin Y-L, Harnod T, Shen T-W. Using Fuzzy C-Means Index Matrix on Magnetic Resonance Images to Define Possible Cortical Malformations with Epilepsy – A Pilot Study. Ann Neurol Surg. 2017; 1(1): 1003.