MRI indirect stereotactic targeting for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
Stereotactic localisation of brain targets for functional neurosurgery might be obtained with different neuroimaging sources. Magnetic resonance (MR) might be of particular interest for its high definition of the various brain structures; unfortunately, magnetic field distortion and inaccuracy in imaging reproduction constrain the use of MRI in stereotactic surgery.


METHODS
We present an experimental work devoted to the utilization of MRI in the targeting of the subthalamic nucleus for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinsonian patients.


RESULTS
Experimental data were obtained after PVC phantom and fixed human brain measurements of the stereotactic coordinates of specific basal ganglia structures. Intrinsic and external sources of error and imaging distortion have been carefully corrected. Afterwards, 36 patients, operated for DBS in the subthalamus for Parkinson's disease (PD), have been investigated. MRI targeting proved to be clinically successful; comparing anatomical and neurophysiological findings, MRI targeting scattered from the neurophysiological targeting in a minority of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI targeting proved to be reliable for functional stereotactic surgery, pending careful and adequate quality control of the distortion and of the sources of error.
Landi
A
A
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, S. Gerardo Hospital, Monza (MI), Italy.
Grimaldi
M
M
Antonini
A
A
Parolin
M
M
Zincone A Marina
D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques