A RECONSTRUCTION METHOD OF CEREBRAL SURFACE ANATOMICAL IMAGES FOR IMAGE-GUIDED LOCALIZATION

We have developed a simple and practical method to reconstruct cerebra l surface anatomical images for better presurgical planning and surgic al orientation with the aid of a personal computer, The area represent ing the cortical surface was selected from the most superficial slice of the T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images, The selected area w as then overlaid upon the next superficial slice and the alignment adj usted, By repeating this procedure four to seven times we obtained a b rain surface image which clearly displayed gyri and sulci, With the sa me method images of the vascular components of the cerebral surface we re obtained from the T2-weighted images or MR angiograms, The brain su rface and the vascular images were then combined to reconstruct a surf ace anatomical image (SAI), In addition, the outline of the lesion and natural landmarks, such as ventricles, were added if necessary, Compa red to conventional surface anatomy scanning (SAS) or three-dimensiona l image reconstruction procedures, our method has the advantage of dis playing, within a reasonable time, the manifest cortical surface from the direction of the planned surgical approach, The SAIs obtained for individual patients have proven to be useful for presurgical planning and minimizing surgical damage to the eloquent cortex in approaching b oth surface and subcortical lesions. (C) Pearson Professional Ltd 1997