Vestibular Schwannoma International Study of Active Surveillance Versus Stereotactic Radiosurgery: The VISAS Study.

PURPOSE: The present study assesses the safety and efficacy of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) versus observation for Koos grade 1 and 2 vestibular schwannoma (VS), benign tumors affecting hearing and neurological function. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This multicenter study analyzed data from Koos grade 1 and 2 VS patients managed with SRS (SRS group) or observation (observation group). Propensity score matching balanced patient demographics, tumor volume, and audiometry. Outcomes measured were tumor control, serviceable hearing preservation, and neurological outcomes. RESULTS: In 125 matched patients in each group with a 36-month median follow-up (P = .49), SRS yielded superior 5- and 10-year tumor control rates (99% CI, 97.1%-100%, and 91.9% CI, 79.4%-100%) versus observation (45.8% CI, 36.8%-57.2%, and 22% CI, 13.2%-36.7%; P < .001). Serviceable hearing preservation rates at 5 and 9 years were comparable (SRS 60.4% CI, 49.9%-73%, vs observation 51.4% CI, 41.3%-63.9%, and SRS 27% CI, 14.5%-50.5%, vs observation 30% CI, 17.2%-52.2%; P = .53). SRS were associated with lower odds of tinnitus (OR = 0.39, P = .01), vestibular dysfunction (OR = 0.11, P = .004), and any cranial nerve palsy (OR = 0.36, P = .003), with no change in cranial nerves 5 or 7 (P > .05). Composite endpoints of tumor progression and/or any of the previous outcomes showed significant lower odds associated with SRS compared with observation alone (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: SRS management in matched cohorts of Koos grade 1 and 2 VS patients demonstrated superior tumor control, comparable hearing preservation rates, and significantly lower odds of experiencing neurological deficits. These findings delineate the safety and efficacy of SRS in the management of this patient population.

Intraoperative MRI: A Review of Applications Across Neurosurgical Specialties.

Intraoperative MRI (iMRI) made its debut to great fanfare in the mid-1990s. However, the enthusiasm for this technology with seemingly obvious benefits for neurosurgeons has waned. We review the benefits and utility of iMRI across the field of neurosurgery and present an overview of the evidence for iMRI for multiple neurosurgical disciplines: tumor, skull base, vascular, pediatric, functional, and spine. Publications on iMRI have steadily increased since 1996, plateauing with approximately 52 publications per year since 2011. Tumor surgery, especially glioma surgery, has the most evidence for the use of iMRI contributing more than 50% of all iMRI publications, with increased rates of gross total resection in both adults and children, providing a potential survival benefit. Across multiple neurosurgical disciplines, the ability to use a multitude of unique sequences (diffusion tract imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, magnetic resonance angiography, blood oxygenation level-dependent) allows for specialization of imaging for various types of surgery. Generally, iMRI allows for consideration of anatomic changes and real-time feedback on surgical outcomes such as extent of resection and instrument (screw, lead, electrode) placement. However, implementation of iMRI is limited by cost and feasibility, including the need for installation, shielding, and compatible tools. Evidence for iMRI use varies greatly by specialty, with the most evidence for tumor, vascular, and pediatric neurosurgery. The benefits of real-time anatomic imaging, a lack of radiation, and evaluation of surgical outcomes are limited by the cost and difficulty of iMRI integration. Nonetheless, the ability to ensure patients are provided by a maximal yet safe treatment that specifically accounts for their own anatomy and highlights why iMRI is a valuable and underutilized tool across multiple neurosurgical subspecialties.

Revised Framingham Stroke Risk Profile: Association with Cognitive Status and MRI-Derived Volumetric Measures.

BACKGROUND: The Framingham Stroke Risk Profile (FSRP) was created in 1991 to estimate 10-year risk of stroke. It was revised in 2017 (rFSRP) to reflect the modern data on vascular risk factors and stroke risk. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between the rFSRP and cognitive and brain aging outcomes among participants from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) Uniform Data Set (UDS). METHODS: Cross-sectional rFSRP was computed at baseline for 19,309 participants (mean age = 72.84, SD = 8.48) from the NACC-UDS [9,697 (50.2%) normal cognition, 4,705 (24.4%) MCI, 4,907 (25.4%) dementia]. Multivariable linear, logistic, or ordinal regressions examined the association between the rFSRP and diagnostic status, neuropsychological test performance, CDR® Sum of Boxes, as well as total brain volume (TBV), hippocampal volume (HCV), and log-transformed white matter hyperintensities (WMH) for an MRI subset (n = 1,196). Models controlled for age, sex, education, racial identity, APOEɛ4 status, and estimated intracranial volume for MRI models. RESULTS: The mean rFSRP probability was 10.42% (min = 0.50%, max = 95.71%). Higher rFSRP scores corresponded to greater CDR Sum of Boxes (ß= 0.02, p = 0.028) and worse performance on: Trail Making Test A (ß= 0.05, p < 0.001) and B (ß= 0.057, p < 0.001), and Digit Symbol (ß= -0.058, p < 0.001). Higher rFSRP scores were associated with increased odds for a greater volume of log-transformed WMH (OR = 1.02 per quartile, p = 0.015). No associations were observed for diagnosis, episodic memory or language test scores, HCV, or TBV. CONCLUSION: These results support the rFSRP as a useful metric to facilitate clinical research on the associations between cerebrovascular disease and cognitive and brain aging.