Functional MRI in Image Guided Neurosurgery

Abstract

The principal goal of neurosurgical procedures on the cerebral cortex is to accurately localize and maximally resect lesions or abnormal tissue. An intimate knowledge of eloquent cortical regions which may be damaged during surgery is therefore a prerequisite for safe cortical neurosurgery. Identifying functionally important areas of the cortex during surgery can be aided by a priori knowledge of cortical functional organization, but is subject to inaccuracy caused by individual variations in anatomy and displacement of normal structures by pathological lesions. Consequently, several cortical mapping techniques have been established to facilitate safe and effective cortical resections.