JAMA neurology
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Surgery is an effective treatment for drug-resistant focal epilepsy. Neuroimaging studies are considered essential in the diagnostic evaluation of individuals with medically refractory focal seizures being considered for surgical treatment. ⋯ There is strong evidence that preoperative MRI-identified hippocampal atrophy consistent with mesial temporal sclerosis concordant with the seizure origin in the temporal lobe is a significant factor associated with a favorable outcome. PET studies may be valuable in individuals with unremarkable MRI findings. The current evidence does not support the prognostic importance of SPECT in patients undergoing temporal lobe surgery.