title: Application of MSCTA combined with VRT in the operation of cervical dumbbell tumors.
abstract: Cervical dumbbell tumor poses great difficulties for neurosurgical treatment and incurs remarkable local recurrence rate as the formidable problem for neurosurgery. However, as the routine preoperative evaluation scheme, MRI and CT failed to reveal the mutual three-dimensional relationships between tumor and adjacent structures. Here, we report the clinical application of MSCTA and VRT in three-dimensional reconstruction of cervical dumbbell tumors. From January 2012 to July 2014, 24 patients diagnosed with cervical dumbbell tumor were retrospectively analyzed. All patients enrolled were indicated for preoperative MSCTA/VRT image reconstruction to explore the three-dimensional stereoscopic anatomical relationships among neuroma, spinal cord and vertebral artery to achieve optimal surgical approach from multiple configurations and surgical practice. Three-dimensional mutual anatomical relationships among tumor, adjacent vessels and vertebrae were vividly reconstructed by MSCTA/VRT in all patients in accordance with intraoperative findings. Multiple configurations for optimal surgical approach contribute to total resection of tumor, minimal damage to vessels and nerves, and maximal maintenance of cervical spine stability. Preoperative MSCTA/VRT contributes to reconstruction of three-dimensional stereoscopic anatomical relationships between cervical dumbbell tumor and adjacent structures for optimal surgical approach by multiple configurations and reduction of intraoperative damages and postoperative complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Wan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Haikou Municipal Hospital Haikou, China.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Engelbert
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Knosp
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Yuanzheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Dianhui
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Yongchuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
keywords: Cervical dumbbell tumors; multi-slice computed tomography angiography; spinal cord; three-dimensional reconstruction; volume rendering technique