=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=None
|storemode=property
|title=Proposed Ontology for Seizure and Epilepsy
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-897/poster_10.pdf
|volume=Vol-897
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/icbo/YaoBG12
}}
==Proposed Ontology for Seizure and Epilepsy==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-897/poster_10.pdf
Proposed Ontology for Seizure and Epilepsy
Robert Yao1, Jeffrey Buchhalter2, and Graciela Gonzalez1
1
Department
of
Biomedical
Informatics,
Arizona
State
University,
Scottsdale,
AZ,
USA
2
Phoenix
Children’s
Hospital,
Phoenix,
AZ,
USA
be used to assist empirical diagnosis of epilepsy and to po-
1 INTRODUCTION tentially differentiate new syndromes in a logical and stand-
ardized format.
The understanding and classification of seizures and epi-
lepsy syndromes have constantly changed with the advent of 4 METHODS
new knowledge from new technologies. Ontologies provide
a structured knowledge framework that could aid in more A review of previously proposed Seizure and Epilepsy
precisely defining and standardizing terminologies and di- classifications is being done to determine the most general
agnoses. This in turn could enhance the abilities of re- way to classify each seizure, syndrome, and epilepsy. By
searchers and clinicians to pinpoint the causes of a disorder, analyzing and defining the building blocks of Epilepsy, an
discover new treatment measures, and improve patient out- Epilepsy Ontology is iteratively formalized using Protege.
comes. Each seizure and syndrome will be instantiated to the ontol-
ogy to determine if it provides a reasoning framework on
epilepsy knowledge.
2 BACKGROUND
Epilepsy is a complex disease in that it is defined by 5 RESULTS
many components and does not always have a clear, single
etiology. Biologically, there may be genetic, molecular, A poly-axial ontology is being defined to encode the
cellular, or systemic contributions. Clinically, this includes conceptual building blocks of seizures and Epilepsy. The
observation of seizure types, diagnostic tests, demographic ontology will be open for both qualitative and quantitative
data, and diagnostic tests like EEGs and neuroimaging. The evaluation when the data/evidence is available in preference
understanding and classification of seizure types and the over consensus expert opinion.
epilepsy syndromes that those types help to identify have
constantly changed with the discovery of new knowledge.
This has allowed for the possibility of more precise defini- 6 DISCUSSION
tions and for the standardization of terminologies leading to
more precise diagnoses. Standardization and classification The aim of this ongoing work is to help clinicians better
of seizures and/or epilepsy is periodically handled by the understand the etiology of seizures and definitions of and
International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). relationships between seizures and epilepsy syndromes, and
While proposals by the ILAE have been used by re- to provide a more helpful path towards research, diagnosis,
searchers to map discovery and by clinicians to diagnose and treatment of the disorder. Eventually, this ontology
epilepsy, those proposals are not logically structured or de- could be expanded for use with other diseases, providing
signed to diagnose and define epilepsy. The ability to pro- more structured definitions. Such a standard framework
vide a structured knowledge framework for a disease such could also help pinpoint knowledge deficits, which in turn
as epilepsy will enhance the abilities of researchers and cli- should drive laboratory and clinical experiments to discover
nicians to pinpoint the causes of a disorder, discover new missing knowledge.
treatment measures, and improve patient outcomes.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
3 HYPOTHESIS I wish to express my gratitude to my doctoral committee
members Graciela Gonzalez, Jeffrey Buchhalter, Matthew
We hypothesize that a more refined ontology for sei- Scotch, Robert Greenes, and Mark Musen for all their ad-
zures and epilepsy syndromes that adequately reflects the vice and wisdom
latest measurements, observations and medical findings can
1