PRESURGICAL INTEGRATED MRI SPECT LOCALIZATION OF THE SENSORIMOTOR CORTEX IN A PATIENT WITH A LOW-GRADE ASTROCYTOMA IN THE ROLANDIC AREA/

WE describe the case of a young man who, despite the presence of a tum our in the left sensorimotor cortex, exhibited no motor deficit. Integ rated MRI/SPECT-CBF study during motor activation was aimed at determi ning which cerebral areas were involved in movement execution in this patient and their relationship with the tumour. CBF changes during mot or activation were located in two motor areas: anteriorly and medially to the tumour in the left frontal lobe (+29%) and in the right medial frontal cortex (+43%). Integrated MRI/SPECT images provided both an a natomical and functional definition of the motor areas in a patient wi th a rolandic tumour and could prove useful in determining preoperativ ely an appropriate surgical strategy.