Automatic lateralization of temporal lobe epilepsy based on scalp EEG.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this work is the determination of the lateralization of the epileptic seizure onset zone using the scalp EEG signal processing. METHODS: A comprehensive method based on the evaluation of the evolution of the correlation coefficients computed between bipolar channels (longitudinal montage) was applied to 43 patients (87 seizures). The correlation coefficients are estimated by a nonlinear regression analysis. The methodology that leads to the lateralization is based on several processing steps: segmentation, seizure onset determination and then lateralization. RESULTS: Results show that the mean level of the nonlinear correlation values computed between EEG channels at the seizure onset time is significantly higher on the side of the beginning of a seizure. CONCLUSIONS: The side of the seizure onset was determined for about 80-90% of the seizures studied with a satisfactory high reproducibility level. SIGNIFICANCE: Comparison of nonlinear correlation coefficients between both sides of the brain leads to the determination of the side of seizure onset.