A new AI-powered tool called MELD Graph is helping doctors detect invisible brain abnormalities in children with epilepsy—abnormalities that even experienced radiologists often miss. This breakthrough could speed up diagnosis, improve treatment, and reduce costs for epilepsy care worldwide.
According to researchers from King’s College London and University College London (UCL), MELD Graph detected 64% of brain abnormalities that human radiologists missed. This could be life-changing for the 30,000 patients in the UK and 4 million worldwide with epilepsy caused by focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs)—one of the leading causes of the condition.
Why This AI Tool Is a Game-Changer for Epilepsy Treatment
🔹 Faster Diagnosis – Helps radiologists detect subtle lesions in the brain much earlier.
🔹 Better Treatment Outcomes – Identifies surgical candidates faster, leading to quicker interventions.
🔹 Significant Cost Savings – Could save the NHS up to £55,000 per patient by reducing unnecessary tests and delays.
🔹 More Accurate Detection – Increases the chances of finding hidden epilepsy-causing lesions that traditional MRI scans may miss.
The Impact of Undetected Brain Lesions
Epilepsy affects 1 in 100 people, and for many, medications don’t work. About 20% of epilepsy cases are caused by structural abnormalities (lesions) in the brain, such as FCDs.
🚨 Why Early Detection Matters:
⚠️ Missed lesions = delayed treatment = more seizures
⚠️ Delays lead to more ER visits, school disruptions, and reduced quality of life
⚠️ Undiagnosed cases may suffer for years before getting the right treatment
Surgery is often the best option for FCD-related epilepsy, but it requires precise lesion detection—which is where MELD Graph comes in!
🔹 How Does MELD Graph Work?
The study, published in JAMA Neurology, analyzed MRI data from 1,185 patients across 23 epilepsy centers worldwide. Half of the patients were children. Researchers trained the AI system to detect subtle brain abnormalities that human radiologists might not see.
🔹 Example Case:
A 12-year-old boy with daily seizures had already tried nine anti-seizure medications, but nothing worked. MELD Graph detected a subtle lesion missed by multiple radiologists, leading to a successful surgical plan.
🔹 Global Collaboration for No Missed Epilepsy Lesions
This AI tool is still in the research phase, but the research team has made it open-source, allowing doctors and researchers worldwide to learn and apply the technology.
🔹 Workshops & Training: Institutions like Great Ormond Street Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, and researchers in the UK, Chile, India, and France are already learning to use MELD Graph.
🔹 Future Goals: The project’s mission is “no missed epilepsy lesions worldwide.”
📢 How Can You Get Involved?
As AI revolutionizes healthcare, doctors, researchers, and neurologists need to stay informed and embrace new technologies.
💡 Interested in learning more about AI in epilepsy care? Join upcoming workshops and discussions on integrating AI into neurology and pediatric epilepsy care.
📢 Let’s work towards no missed epilepsy lesions! Share your thoughts or connect with us for more updates on AI-powered healthcare innovations. 🚀💙
To register for our next masterclass please click here https://linktr.ee/docpreneur
