AI ‘epilepsy detective’ helps cure Greek Australian boy after three years of seizures

John Kounadis, an 11-year-old Greek Australian boy, was 1 of much than 21,000 children successful Victoria surviving with uncontrolled seizures, with Cortical dysplasias being 1 the astir communal causes of epilepsy successful children.

Since his archetypal seizure astatine property eight, John endured up to 20 seizures a time for three years. But successful May this year, his beingness was changed. After targeted encephalon surgery guided by an precocious AI tool, John has not had a single seizure since.

“He is cured,” his father, Spiro Kounadis, told Neos Kosmos. “It’s a wonderful outcome. An unbelievable, unthinkable result. I thank God it worked.”

The AI ‘epilepsy detective’

The breakthrough was made imaginable by a caller AI-powered tool developed by researchers astatine the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH). Dubbed the “AI epilepsy detective,” the tool was designed to pinpoint small encephalon lesions that standard scans often miss.

It was this tool that revealed the blueberry-sized lesion successful John’s brain, paving the way for precise, life-changing surgery. He is 1 of 11 children with uncontrolled seizures who person been cured aft joining a landmark study of 71 children astatine RCH and 23 adults astatine the Austin Hospital.

Published this week successful Epilepsia, the study showed the tool detected lesions successful up to 94 per cent of cases, lesions so small they are often missed.

John with his mum and dad, Irene and Spiro Kounadis.

A agelong roadworthy to diagnosis

Cortical dysplasias are notoriously hard to detect, with less than fractional identified successful a child’s archetypal MRI. For John, it took 4 MRIs and PET scans earlier doctors recovered the abnormality.

“John was a wholly mean kid. Until that nighttime successful April 2023 when helium suddenly had his archetypal seizure.” Spiro recalls the panic the archetypal clip it happened, precocious astatine night.

“We thought that helium was astir apt having a atrocious dream. Irene, my wife, slept with him incase something happened again and it did, astatine 8am the adjacent morning.”

John was instantly admitted to Western General Hospital. “That’s when the travel began.”

With guidance from adjacent household person and idiosyncratic Professor Vasso Apostolopoulos, the Kounadis household navigated the maze of hospitals and scans. It was neurologist Professor Sam Berkovic astatine The Austin who yet identified the abnormality and referred John to the RCH team.

Behind the breakthrough

Dr Emma Macdonald-Laurs, neurologist astatine RCH who led the team, explained that epilepsy is the astir communal neurological information successful childhood, affecting 1 successful 200 Australian children.

“Identifying the origin aboriginal lets us tailor treatment options and assistance neurosurgeons program surgery,” she said.

“The AI tool helps us find the truly small lesions. But we ever corroborate with quality expertise, that’s key. No kid is ever enactment guardant for surgery unless we are perfectly certain.”

With much precise imaging, surgeons tin debar captious areas controlling speech, thinking, and movement, making procedures safer and much effective.

John, an hr aft the targeted encephalon surgery successful May. He has not had a single seizure since.

The toll connected John and the family

For three years, epilepsy dominated John’s childhood. He missed schoolhouse terms, couldn’t thrust a bike, and adjacent walking was risky. He often slept betwixt his parents, while his parent stayed location to attraction for him.

“Even connected the way to infirmary for the surgery, John had a seizure,” Spiro recalls. “But helium was calm and confident. He wanted the surgery. He was brave. He didn’t want to suffer anymore.”

As a parent, helium admits helium was breaking inside. “But I had to support a beforehand up to support my family. And thank God, it worked. And my prayers were answered.”

Today John is enjoying the normality of yet surviving without seizures. He’s besides very funny successful becoming a paramedic.

Looking Ahead

Since surgery, John has had nary seizures, nary broadside effects, nary speech problems… nothing. “It’s arsenic if thing ever happened,” Spiro says.

Today John is enjoying the normality of surviving without seizures. “He’s a very spontaneous kid and helium loves technology. He’s besides very funny successful becoming a paramedic.”

After 13 ambulance rides, helium befriended paramedics and present wants to go 1 himself.

“After what helium went through, I judge helium wants to assistance children and adults successful the future,” Spiro says. “Just similar his neurosurgeon, who told us she too was erstwhile a sick kid successful infirmary and that’s what inspired her to go a surgeon.”

Researchers present anticipation to grow testing of the AI tool crossed Australian hospitals, with the extremity of speeding up epilepsy diagnoses and improving semipermanent outcomes.

“The stress and worry is implicit now. But you tin ne'er hide a situation similar that,” Spiro says.

“My connection to each the families that are going done something akin is to trust this AI tool, trust the surgeons astatine Royal Children’s Hospital, trust the staff there and the team, due to the fact that our small lad went from 20 seizures each single time to zero. Today, helium is cured.”