Fast Ripples as a Biomarker of Epileptogenic Tuber in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Patients Using Stereo-Electroencephalograph

Objectives: To evaluate the value of fast ripples (FRs) (200–500 Hz) recorded with stereo-electroencephalograph (SEEG) in the localization of epileptogenic tubers in patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Methods: Seventeen TSC patients who underwent preoperative SEEG examination and resective epilepsy surgery were retrospectively enrolled. They were divided into two groups according to the seizure control at 1-year postoperative follow-up. The occurrence frequencies of FRs were automatically counted, and the FR rate was calculated. The high FR rate was defined as FR rate ≧0.5. According to different positions, the contacts’ locations were divided into three groups: inner of the tubers, the junction region of the tubers, and out of the tubers. The influence factors of postoperative seizure freedom were also analyzed. Results: Twelve patients reached postoperative seizure freedom at 1-year follow-up. In total, FRs were found in 24.2% of the contacts and 67.1% of the tubers in all assessed patients. There were 47 high FR rate contacts localized in the junction region of the tubers, which was 62.7% of the 75 high FR rate contacts in total and was 8.4% of the total 561 contacts localized in the junction region of the tubers. Total removal of epileptogenic tubers and total resection of the high FR rate tubers/contacts were associated with postoperative seizure freedom (P < 0.05). Conclusion: FRs could be extensively detected in TSC patients using SEEG, and high FR rate contacts were mostly localized in the junction region of the epileptogenic tuber, which could aid in the localization of epileptogenic tubers.