Stereotaxis and nuclear magnetic resonance

Abstract

The application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging to a stereotactic method is described. The physical properties of NMR offer some important advantages such as good contrast between grey and white matter and the possibility to scan the brain in three planes and at any desired angle. Stereotactic localisation by NMR gives very satisfactory and precise visualisation of the target structures based on transaxial, coronal and sagittal scans. With the technique described stereotactic localisation is performed by the surgeon directly in the operating room.