Topic Highlight
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Radiol. Aug 28, 2014; 6(8): 538-543
Published online Aug 28, 2014. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v6.i8.538
Intraoperative perfusion magnetic resonance imaging: Cutting-edge improvement in neurosurgical procedures
Stephan Ulmer
Stephan Ulmer, Neuroradiology, Medical Radiological Institute, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland
Stephan Ulmer, Institute of Neuroradiology, Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, 24105 Kiel, Germany
Author contributions: Ulmer S reviewed the literature, analyzed own data, created all figures, wrote the paper and performed all corrections in the revision.
Correspondence to: Stephan Ulmer, MD, Neuroradiology, Medical Radiological Institute, Bahnhofplatz 3, 8001 Zurich, Switzerland. ulmer@email.com
Telephone: +41-44-2252090 Fax: +41-44-2118754
Received: January 16, 2014
Revised: April 17, 2014
Accepted: June 18, 2014
Published online: August 28, 2014
Processing time: 224 Days and 15.6 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: The amount of brain tumor resection is one of the prognostic factors for time to tumor progression and median survival. To achieve maximum brain tumor removal, while preventing damage to “eloquent” brain regions, a variety of technical advances have been introduced, including intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Brain shift can thus be compensated; however, surgically induced contrast enhancement along the rim of the resection cavity hampers interpretation of these intraoperatively acquired images. Recently, perfusion techniques (dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging) have been introduced that can differentiate residual tumor from surgically induced changes and thus overcome this remaining uncertainty in high grade brain tumor resection.