title: Functional magnetic resonance imaging for brain mapping in neurosurgery.
abstract: One of the most pertinent applications of the principle primum non nocere (first do no harm) is in the optimization of neurosurgical procedures for patients with resectable lesions. The gold standard for identifying eloquent areas of the brain to be avoided in resections is direct cortical stimulation and somatosensory evoked potential monitoring, which is itself an invasive, cumbersome and difficult technique for mapping these areas. Functional magnetic resonance imaging shows great promise as a viable noninvasive alternative to invasive mapping as well as significant current clinical utility in cases in which it cannot yet fully supplant cortical stimulation methods. Ongoing work is directed toward overcoming technical limitations, improved mapping of complex functions such as language and memory, and mapping of white matter tracts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA. pek@usc.edu
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Manbir
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity