title: Preoperative and intraoperative brain mapping for the resection of eloquent-area tumors. A prospective analysis of methodology, correlation, and usefulness based on clinical outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Localization of brain function is a fundamental requisite for the resection of eloquent-area brain tumors. Preoperative functional neuroimaging and diffusion tensor imaging can display cortical functional organization and subcortical anatomy of major white matter bundles. Direct cortical and subcortical stimulation is widely used in routine practice, however, because of its ability to reveal tissue function in eloquent regions. The role and integration of these techniques is still a matter of debate. The objective of this study was to assess surgical and functional neurological outputs of awake surgery and intraoperative cortical and subcortical electrical stimulation (CSES) and to use CSES to examine the reliability of preoperative functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging fiber tracking (DTI-FT) for surgical planning.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied 27 patients with eloquent-area tumors who were selected to undergo awake surgery and direct brain mapping. All subjects underwent preoperative sensorimotor and language fMRI and DTI tractography of major white matter bundles. Intra- and postoperative complications, stimulation effects, extent of resection, and neurological outcome were determined. We topographically correlated intraoperatively identified sites (cortical and subcortical) with areas of fMRI activation and DTI tractography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total plus subtotal resection reached 88.8%. Twenty-one patients (77.7%) suffered transient postoperative worsening, but at 6 months follow-up only three (11.1%) patients had persistent neurological impairment. Sensorimotor cortex direct mapping correlated 92.3% with fMRI activation, while direct mapping of language cortex correlated 42.8%. DTI fiber tracking underestimated the presence of functional fibers surrounding or inside the tumor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative brain mapping is useful when planning awake surgery to estimate the relationship between the tumor and functional brain regions. However, these techniques cannot directly lead the surgeon during resection. Intraoperative brain mapping is necessary for safe and maximal resection and to guarantee a satisfying neurological outcome. This multimodal approach is more aggressive, leads to better outcomes, and should be used routinely for resection of lesions in eloquent brain regions.
authors: Division of Neurosurgery, Civil Hospital, via Venezia 16, 15100, Alessandria, Italy. giannantonios@hotmail.com
authors: Giannantonio
authors: G
authors: Spena
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Nava
authors: Fabrizio
authors: F
authors: Cassini
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Pepoli
authors: Marcella
authors: M
authors: Bruno
authors: Federico
authors: F
authors: D'Agata
authors: Franco
authors: F
authors: Cauda
authors: Katiuscia
authors: K
authors: Sacco
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Duca
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Barletta
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Versari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D004568:Electrodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000379:methods*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult