Which PET finding corresponds to seizure-free status?

• A. Active seizure
• B. Normal metabolism
• C. Seizure free
• D. Decreased sugar use

Answer: (C)

In PET imaging for epilepsy, brain glucose use is what you’re really watching. During a seizure, the involved area shows higher metabolic activity, so ictal PET can reveal a focal hypermetabolic region. Between seizures, some epileptogenic zones may appear hypometabolic, but that pattern does not mean the patient is seizure-free. When someone is seizure-free, the brain’s metabolic pattern generally normalizes, with no focal hyper- or hypometabolism. So the PET finding that corresponds to seizure-free status is normal metabolism, reflecting the absence of ongoing epileptogenic activity. The other patterns describe active or prior abnormal metabolism, not seizure freedom.