Use of a compact intraoperative low-field magnetic imager in pediatric neurosurgery.
OBJECTIVE
The majority of investigations on the utility of and indications for intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) have been in adult patients. We report our initial experience utilizing low-field iMRI in pediatric patients.


METHODS
We performed 21 procedures on 20 patients aged 2 months to 18 years (mean 8.9 years) utilizing the PoleStar -10 iMRI system. The procedures included 15 craniotomies, 2 shunts, and 1 each of the following surgeries: transsphenoidal, craniotomy/transsphenoidal, cranioplasty, and endoscopic biopsy and fenestration. Treated lesions included low-grade astrocytoma (5), craniopharyngioma (3), cortical dysplasia (3), hydrocephalus (2), and others (8). The number of scans ranged from 2 to 5 with a mean of 3.2. Intraoperative imaging and navigation provided valuable information on the extent of resection and catheter placement. In eight procedures it influenced the surgical strategy. No untoward events attributable to the system occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
The low-field PoleStar -10 iMRI system can safely assist pediatric neurosurgeons treating a variety of diseases. In addition to neuronavigation it provides information on extent of resection, real-time guided catheter placement, and avoidance of complications.
Samdani
Amer F
AF
Department of Neurosurgery, New Jersey Medical School, 90 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
Schulder
Michael
M
Catrambone
Jeffrey E
JE
Carmel
Peter W
PW
D000293:Adolescent; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D007223:Infant; D007432:Intraoperative Period / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D038361:Neuronavigation; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*