ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNICATION IMPAIRMENT AND THE EFFECTS OF RESECTIVE SURGERY IN SOLITARY, RIGHT-SIDED SUPRATENTORIAL INTRACRANIAL TUMORS - APROSPECTIVE-STUDY

To assess the effects of solitary, right-sided supratentorial intracra nial tumours on language and communication function patients were asse ssed preoperatively using the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and Boston Naming Test (BNT). The impact of resective tumour surgery was evaluat ed prospectively by a comparison of test scores obtained at pre- and p ostoperative assessments. The WAB scores in 33 patients revealed that 21% were by definition dysphasic (i.e. Aphasia Quotient < 93.8) and 35 % obtained an abnormal Language Quotient. Performance was particularly variable on the written picture description and word fluency WAB subt ests. Using the BNT 21% of 47 patients were anemic. The rumours were e venly distributed throughout the frontal, temporal and parietal lobes, but none were in the occipital lobe. Reassessment approximately 6 day s after excisional tumour surgery showed that mean scores for the BNT, Aphasia Quotient, and the WAB spontaneous speech and comprehension su btests had improved significantly despite a significant reduction in d examethasone therapy. This study has demonstrated that right-sided int racranial rumours produce subtle, but specific language deficits of a type more usually associated with left-sided brain dysfunction. The pa thophysiological basis of these deficits is unclear, but they are not attributable to either limited education or pre-existing dyslexia. Fur ther studies using a discriminating and comprehensive assessment of la nguage in the right hemisphere are required.