Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which nerve cells in the brain send abnormal signals to other nerve cells and muscles throughout the body. These signals can cause seizures, unusual sensations or different behaviors.
St. Jospeh’s Health provides a comprehensive team approach to the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.
Our specialized team includes epileptologists (neurologists with expertise in treating seizures), neurosurgeons, EEG technologists, and others with training and experience in epilepsy care. The Epilepsy Center at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center is a NAEC Level 3 Epilepsy Center as designated by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. This means that that we have been recognized as providing high quality comprehensive epilepsy care. Our goal is to help you become seizure-free and resume everyday activities.
We use the most advanced electrodiagnostic testing to evaluate your brain function and seizures and determine the most appropriate treatment plan. Our EEG lab is credentialed by the ABRET neurodiagnostic credentialing agency. We offer comprehensive diagnostic services including:
- Electroencephalography (EEG): EEG or “brain wave test” evaluates brain function and can pinpoint the location of seizures in the brain based on the presence or absence of abnormal brain waves.
- Ambulatory Electroencephalography: We also offer ambulatory EEG testing, in which the patient wears an EEG recorder and collects up to 24 hours of brain activity while the patient goes through his or her regular daily activities, permitting examination of brain activity throughout the patient’s day.
- Video-EEG monitoring: This test has emerged as the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of complex seizure disorders. A video EEG (electroencephalograph) records what you are doing or experiencing on video while an EEG test records the electrical activity of the brain or brainwaves. The purpose is to be able to see what happens when you have a seizure or an event that is suspected to be a seizure. The video is compared to what the EEG records at the same time. Video EEG is helpful to identify the type of seizure, frequency, and region of the brain where the seizures begin.
