A Novel Intraoperative Brain Mapping Integrated Task-Presentation Platform

Oper Neurosurg (Hagerstown). 2021 Apr 15;20(5):477-483. doi: 10.1093/ons/opaa476.

Abstract

Background: To be efficient, intraoperative task-presentation systems must accurately present various language and cognitive tasks to patients undergoing awake surgery, and record behavioral data without compromising convenience of surgery.

Objective: To present an integrated brain mapping task-presentation system we developed and evaluate its effectiveness in intraoperative task presentation.

Methods: The Brain Mapping Interactive Stimulation System (Brain MISS) is a flexible task presentation system that adjusts for patient comfort, needs of the surgeon, and operating team, with multivideo recording for patients' behavior. A total of 48 patients from 3 centers underwent intraoperative language task test during awake brain surgery with the Brain MISS. Each patient was assigned 5 questions each on picture naming, reading, and listening comprehension before and during awake surgeries. The accuracy of intraoperative stimulus-response (without electrical stimulation) was recorded. The Brain MISS was to be considered effective, if the lower limit of 95% CI of patients' intraoperative response was ≥80% and also if the accuracy of intraoperative response of all patients was statistically higher than 80%.

Results: All patients successfully underwent intraoperative assessment with the Brain MISS. The overall accuracy of stimulus response was 95.8% (95% CI 90.18%-100.00%), with the lower limit being higher than 80% and the response accuracy also significantly being higher than 80% in all patients (P = .006).

Conclusion: The Brain MISS is a portable and effective system for presenting and streamlining complicated language and cognitive tasks during awake surgery. It can also record standardized patient response data for neuroscientific research.

Keywords: Awake craniotomy; Brain mapping; Language mapping; Platform; Task-presentation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain Mapping
  • Brain Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Neoplasms* / surgery
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Glioma*
  • Humans
  • Wakefulness