Markedly Increased Mesiotemporal Lobe Metabolism in a Case with PLEDs: Further Evidence that PLEDs are a Manifestation of Partial Status Epilepticus

Summary: The pathophysiologic and clinical significance of periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) is unclear; whether PLEDs represent an ictal condition that should be treated remains uncertain. We performed FDG-positron emission computed tomography (FDG-ET) in a patient with PLEDs at 3 days, 18 days, and 10 weeks after onset. During left temporal PLEds, the initial scan showed intense hypermetabolism of the left mesiotemporal region. The second scan, performed when PLEDs were resolving, displayed reduced hypermetabolism. The follow-up scan, when PLEDs had resolved, showed left temporal hypometabolism. These findings, together with clinical evidence from the literature, are compatible with the interpretation that PLEDs represent partial status epilepticus (SE); whether vigorous therapy is required to prevent neuronal damage from this focal seizure activity remains uncertain.