Quantitative Susceptibility Biomarker and Brain Structural Property for Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Related Epilepsy

Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM)-related epilepsy (CRE) impairs the quality of life in patients with CCM. Patients could not always achieve seizure freedom after surgical resection of the lesion, suggesting an inadequate treatment and evaluation of the epileptogenic zone or network. Iron deposition in cerebral cavernous malformations has been postulated to play an important role in triggering CRE. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), as an optimal in vivo imaging technique to quantify iron deposition, is employed to analyze the iron quantity in CCM patients with epilepsy and further combined with brain structural and connectome analysis, to describe the difference between CCMs with and without epilepsy. In vivo biomarkers predicting CRE risk in CCM natural history and CRE control outcome after CCM surgical resection will be further identified to improve management strategy.