title: The Use of the Target Cancellation Task to Identify Eloquent Visuospatial Regions in Awake Craniotomies: Technical Note.
abstract: The success of awake craniotomies relies on the patient's performance of function-specific tasks that are simple, quick, and reproducible. Intraoperative identification of visuospatial function through cortical and subcortical mapping has utilized a variety of intraoperative tests, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. In light of this, we developed a simple software program that aids in preventing neglect by simulating a target-cancellation task on a portable electronic device. In this report, we describe the interactive target cancellation task and have reviewed seven consecutive patients who underwent awake craniotomy for parietal and/or posterior temporal infiltrating brain tumors of the non-dominant hemisphere. Each of these patients performed target cancellation and line bisection tasks intraoperatively. The outcomes of each patient and testing scenario are described. Positive intraoperative cortical and subcortical sites involved with visuospatial processing were identified in three of the seven patients using the target cancellation and confirmed utilizing the line-bisection task. No identification of visuospatial function was accomplished utilizing the line-bisection task alone. Complete visuospatial function mapping was completed in less than 10 minutes in all patients. No patients had preoperative or postoperative hemineglect. Our findings highlight the feasibility of the target cancellation technique for use during awake craniotomy to aid in avoiding postoperative hemineglect. Target cancellation may offer an alternative method of cortical and subcortical visuospatial mapping in patients unable to perform other commonly used modalities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Conner
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Glenn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Joshua D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Burks
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Tressie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Southern California.
authors.forename: Phillip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bonney
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences center.
authors.forename: Ahmed A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Chema
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Justin L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Case
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brunner
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Cordell
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sughrue
keywords: awake craniotomies; line bisection; mapping; neglect; target cancellation