title: Open MRI-guided microsurgery of intracranial tumours. Preliminary experience using a vertical open MRI-scanner.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A number of different image-guided surgical techniques have been developed during the past decade. None of these methods can provide the surgeon with information about the dynamic changes that occur intra-operatively. The development of open configurated MRI-scanners leads to new perspectives in the intra-operative management and resection control of intracranial tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a vertical open 0.5 T MRI-scanner for intra-operative MR image guided neurosurgery, forty-four patients (20 female/24 male) with different intracranial tumours have been operated on since August 1997. The patients ranged in age from 20 to 70 years (mean +/- standard deviation = 47.2 +/- 15.9 ys).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 36 (82%) of 44 patients the tumours were completely removed with the aid of MR image-guidance. In 8 cases (18%) complete removal was not achieved. Postoperatively 6 (14%) of 44 patients developed neurological deficits which were transient in 5 cases (paresis, dysphasia). In these patients the tumours were located in or near eloquent brain areas (sensorimotor cortex/speech center).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intra-operative MRI is helpful for navigation as well as determining of tumour margins to achieve a complete and safe resection of intracranial lesions. Complications related to the surgical procedure are reduced and the risk of neurological deterioration due to tumour removal and postoperative complications is minimized. It can be concluded that the intra-operative application of interventional MRI technology may represent a major step foreward in the field of neurosurgery.
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Clinic, University of Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Seifert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Trantakis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kühnel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Raabe
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control