Intraoperative navigation and fluorescence imagings in malignant glioma surgery

Keio J Med. 2008 Sep;57(3):155-61. doi: 10.2302/kjm.57.155.

Abstract

The current basic goals in glioma surgery are radical tumor resection without triggering the development of new neurological deficits. Although complete removal of malignant gliomas is extremely difficult because of the tumors' infiltrative characteristics, gross total resection of the tumor is known to be associated with improved outcome in the patients. To enable safe and radical resection of malignant gliomas, especially those adjacent to eloquent brain areas, rapid progress has been made in the development of operative support techniques; e.g., navigation systems to provide information about the anatomical and functional locations in the brain and a fluorescence imaging technique for differentiating brain tumors from normal brain tissue. These intraoperative imaging techniques in glioma surgery have improved the functional outcomes of glioma patients.

MeSH terms

  • Aminolevulinic Acid / pharmacology
  • Brain / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Disease Progression
  • Equipment Design
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Glioma / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Infrared Rays
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Medical Oncology / methods
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence / methods
  • Monitoring, Intraoperative
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Aminolevulinic Acid