Postoperative prolonged mechanical ventilation in patients with surgically treated pyogenic spondylodiscitis: a surrogate endpoint for early postoperative mortality.

Surgical procedures with spinal instrumentation constitute a prevalent and occasionally highly indicated treatment modality in patients with pyogenic spondylodiscitis (PSD). However, surgical therapy might be associated with the need of prolonged postoperative intensive care medicine which in turn might impair intended operative benefit. Therefore, we analyzed prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) as an indicator variable for such intensive care treatment with regard to potential correlations with mortality in this vulnerable patient cohort. Between 2012 and 2018, 177 consecutive patients received stabilization surgery for PSD at the authors' neurosurgical department. PMV was defined as postoperative mechanical ventilation of more than 24 h. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors for 30-day mortality. Twenty-three out of 177 patients (13%) with PSD suffered from postoperative PMV. Thirty-day mortality rate was 5%. Multivariable analysis identified "spinal empyema" (p = 0.02, odds ratio (OR) 6.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-30.2), "Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) > 2" (p = 0.04, OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.0-15.5), "early postoperative complications (PSIs)" (p = 0.001, OR 17.1, 95% CI 3.1-96.0) and "PMV > 24 hrs" (p = 0.002, OR 13.0, 95% CI 2.7-63.8) as significant and independent predictors for early postoperative mortality. The present study indicates PMV to significantly correlate to elevated early postoperative mortality rates following stabilization surgery for PSD. These results might entail further scientific efforts to investigate PMV as a so far underestimated negative prognostic factor in the surgical treatment of PSD.

Cervical spine injuries requiring surgery in a Level I trauma centre in a major German city.

BACKGROUND: Cervical spine injuries (CSI) are rare in trauma patients, at about 9.2-16.5/100,000 inhabitants in Scandinavia and Canada, and the annual incidence of CSI surgeries in Norway is around 3.0/100,000 inhabitants. However, despite their rarity, the incidence of CSI has increased, thereby assuming an increasing need for surgery. Outside of Scandinavia, no data about the incidence of CSI and subsequent surgeries exist. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse CSI epidemiology and surgery in a German city with a Level I trauma centre both to understand the injury and improve needs-based planning. METHODS: This retrospective, monocentre study included all patients who presented with CSI from 2012-2017 at a university hospital with a Level I trauma centre in a major German city and had permanent residency within the city. Based on the assumption that the patients represented all CSI injuries in the city, as they were treated at the only available Level I trauma centre, the annual incidence of surgeries and neurologic deficits due to CSI were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 465 patients with 609 CSI were identified. Of these patients, 61 both received surgery and resided in the city (mean age, 68.1 ± 18.3 years; 26 female, 35 male). The incidence of CSI surgeries was calculated as 3.24/100,000 person years (1.75/100,000 in the upper and 1.54/100,000 in the subaxial cervical spine). Neurologic deficits occurred in 0.64/100,000 person years. The incidence of both surgeries and neurologic deficits showed no significant changes over the 6-year study period. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to Scandinavia, an increasing annual incidence for CSI surgeries and neurologic deficits were found. For long-term demand planning with adaptability to demographic changes, cross-regional studies including long-term follow-up are necessary.

Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome as an Overlooked Complication of Induced Hypertension for Cerebral Vasospasm: Systematic Review and Illustrative Case.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Delayed cerebral ischemia associated with cerebral vasospasm is a common cause of secondary neurological decline after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Triple-H therapy, induced hypertension, hypervolemia, and hemodilution, is often used to treat cerebral vasospasm. However, hypertensive treatment may carry significant medical morbidity, including cardiopulmonary, renal, and intracranial complications. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a reversible intracranial complication that has rarely been reported in the setting of induced hypertension. METHODS: We present an illustrative case of PRES in a patient with induced hypertension for SAH-related cerebral vasospasm and performed a systematic review. Furthermore, the electronic database MEDLINE was searched for additional data in published studies of PRES after induced hypertension. RESULTS: Overall, 7 case reports presenting 10 patients who developed PRES secondary to induced hypertension were found. Eighty-two percent of the patients were women. In all cases, the clinical symptoms were attributed to cerebral vasospasm before the diagnosis of PRES. The time from onset of induced hypertension to the development of PRES was 7.8±3.8 days. After the diagnosis of PRES and careful taper down of the blood pressure, the neurological symptoms resolved almost completely within a few days in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: PRES in the setting of SAH is an overlooked complication of hypertensive therapy for the treatment of vasospasm. However, the diagnosis of this phenomenon is crucial given the necessity to reverse hypertensive therapy, which is contrary to the usual management of patients with vasospasm.

Synchronous versus metachronous spinal metastasis: a comparative study of survival outcomes following neurosurgical treatment.

PURPOSE: Patients with spinal metastases (SM) from solid neoplasms typically exhibit progression to an advanced cancer stage. Such metastases can either develop concurrently with an existing cancer diagnosis (termed metachronous SM) or emerge as the initial indication of an undiagnosed malignancy (referred to as synchronous SM). The present study investigates the prognostic implications of synchronous compared to metachronous SM following surgical resection. METHODS: From 2015 to 2020, a total of 211 individuals underwent surgical intervention for SM at our neuro-oncology facility. We conducted a survival analysis starting from the date of the neurosurgical procedure, comparing those diagnosed with synchronous SM against those with metachronous SM. RESULTS: The predominant primary tumor types included lung cancer (23%), prostate cancer (21%), and breast cancer (11.3%). Of the participants, 97 (46%) had synchronous SM, while 114 (54%) had metachronous SM. The median overall survival post-surgery for those with synchronous SM was 13.5 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 6.1-15.8) compared to 13 months (95% CI 7.7-14.2) for those with metachronous SM (p = 0.74). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the timing of SM diagnosis (synchronous versus metachronous) does not significantly affect survival outcomes following neurosurgical treatment for SM. These results support the consideration of neurosurgical procedures regardless of the temporal pattern of SM manifestation.

Bipolar Lumbar Radiofrequency Medial Branch Neurotomy in a Patient with Deep Brain Stimulation Implant.

Chronic axial lower back pain is one of the most common conditions that patients seek medical attention for in pain practices. About 15 to 40% of axial lower back pain is due to facet-mediated pain. Diagnostic blocks of the medial branch reliably identify the facet joint as the pain generator and offer a prognostic factor for response to radiofrequency neurotomy of the identified facet joints resulting in profound pain relief. However, deep brain stimulation implants have been considered a contraindication for neurotomy. We present an illustrative case of a patient with deep brain stimulation system treated with bipolar medial branch neurotomy using a two-needle technique.

sPinal coRd stimulatiOn coMpared with lumbar InStrumEntation for low back pain after previous lumbar decompression (PROMISE): a prospective multicentre RCT.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent spine pain syndrome type 2 (PSPS2) represents a significant burden to the individual and society. Treatment options include revision surgery, stabilisation surgery of the spine, neuromodulation, analgesics and cognitive behavioural therapy. Nevertheless, structured treatment algorithms are missing as high-level evidence on the various treatments is sparse. The aim of this study is to compare higher frequency neuromodulation with instrumentation surgery in patients suffering from PSPS2. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The sPinal coRd stimulatiOn coMpared with lumbar InStrumEntation for low back pain after previous lumbar decompression (PROMISE) trial is a prospective randomised rater blinded multicentre study. Patients suffering from PSPS2 with a functional burden of Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) >20 points are randomised to treatment via spinal cord stimulation or spinal instrumentation. Primary outcome is back-related functional outcome according to the ODI 12 months after treatment. Secondary outcomes include pain perception (visual analogue scale), Short Form-36, EuroQOL5D, the amount of analgesics, the length of periprocedural hospitalisation and adverse events. Follow-up visits are planned at 3 and 12 months after treatment. Patients with previous lumbar instrumentation, symptomatic spinal stenosis, radiographical apparent spinal instability or severe psychiatric or systemic comorbidities are excluded from the study. In order to detect a significant difference of ≥10 points (ODI) with a power of 80%, n=72 patients need to be included. The recruitment period will be 24 months with a subsequent 12 months follow-up. The beginning of enrolment is planned for October 2022. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The PROMISE trial is the first randomised rater blinded multicentre study comparing the functional effectiveness of spinal instrumentation versus neuromodulation in patients with PSPS2 in order to achieve high-level evidence for these commonly used treatment options in this severely disabling condition. Patient recruitment will be performed at regular outpatient clinic visits. No further (print, social media) publicity is planned. The study is approved by the local ethics committee (LMU Munich, Germany) and will be conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05466110.

Seizure outcome 1 year after temporal lobe epilepsy: an analysis of MR volumetric and clinical parameters.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to determine predictors that may contribute to surgical success or failure. Relevant pre- and postoperative baseline data were analyzed, and temporal structures underwent a volumetric analysis. METHODS: A total of 207 patients (107 female) underwent complete evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Prospectively collected data used for this analysis included the clinical and demographic data. Classic prognostic factors (e.g., gender, age at operation, age at epilepsy manifestation, duration of epilepsy, education, side of pathology, intracranial EEG recordings, secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures, etiological factors, histology) and a volumetric analysis of 12 temporal lobe subregions were used in a regression analysis to identify possible prognostic factors in surgery for TLE. Primary outcome measure was seizure freedom at 1 year and during the full first year expressed as class I in the ILAE outcome scale. RESULTS: In the univariate analysis, we identified one negative predictor for a less favorable seizure outcome: intracranial EEG recordings (p = 0.010), hippocampal sclerosis as histological finding trended toward statistical significance (p = 0.054). No statistical outcome significance was found for preoperative temporal lobe compartment volume loss or postoperative lateral atrophy after mesial resection. CONCLUSIONS: Necessity for intracranial EEG recording is an independent factor of not optimal seizure control in the 1-year follow-up. Preoperative temporal lobe volume differences including smaller mesial subcompartments did not correlate with poorer seizure outcome.

Use of halo fixation therapy for traumatic cranio-cervical instability in children: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Traumatic cranio-cervical instability in childhood is rare and constitutes a challenge for the treating surgeon. The aim of therapy is to restore cervical stability without limiting the range of motion. The goal of this systematic review was to find out whether, over the last 10 years, halo fixation (HF) could still be considered a successful treatment option without major risks or complications. METHODS: We analyzed studies describing the use of HF in traumatic injuries of the cranio-cervical junction in children under the age of 17. Searches were performed in PubMed, MEDLINE and Embase databases for the years from 2010 to 2020. The general success rate, the success rate related to underlying pathologies, and complication rates were evaluated. RESULTS: The main indications for HF range from pre-surgical correction to postoperative fusion support. C2 is the most frequently injured vertebra in children. The overall success rate of HF was very high. Evaluation according to the underlying pathology showed that, except for atlanto-occipital dislocation, HF generates high fusion rates among different patient cohorts, mainly in C2 vertebra injuries and atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation. Only minor complications were reported, such as pin infections. CONCLUSION: The current data show that, when used according to the appropriate indication, HF is an effective conservative treatment option for cranio-cervical instability, associated with only minor complications.

Safety Evaluation of Cervical Dorsal Instrumentation in Geriatric Patients: Experience at a Level 1 Center for Spinal Surgery-A Single Center Cohort Study.

Objective: Dorsal instrumentation of the cervical spine is an established treatment in spine surgery. However, careful planning is required, particularly in elderly patients. This study evaluates early clinical outcomes in geriatric patients undergoing complex spine surgery. Methods: In this retrospective, single center cohort study, we included all geriatric patients (aged ≥65 years) who underwent dorsal instrumentation between January 2013 and December 2020. We analyzed postoperative complications and the 30-day in-hospital mortality rate. Furthermore, the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and Clavien-Dindo grading system (CDG) were used to assess the patients' comorbidity burden. Results: In total, 153 patients were identified and included. The mean age of patients was 78 years (SD ± 7). Traumatic injury (53.6%) was the most common reason for surgery. 60.8% of the patients underwent dorsal instrumentation with 3 or more levels. The most common comorbidities were arterial hypertension (64%), diabetes mellitus (22.2%), coronary heart disease and atrial fibrillation (19.6%). The most common adverse event (AE) was pneumonia (4%) and the most common surgery-related complication was wound infection (5.2%). Among patients categorized as high risk for AE (CCI > 5), 14.6% suffered a postoperative AE. In our univariate analysis, we found no risk factors for high rates of complications or mortality. Conclusion: Our data demonstrates that older patients were at no significant risk of postoperative complications. The CCI/CDG scores may identify patients at higher risk for adverse events after dorsal instrumentation, and these assessments should become an essential component of stratification in this older patient population.

The Role of Intraoperative Image Guidance Systems (Three-Dimensional C-arm versus O-arm) in Spinal Surgery: Results of a Single-Center Study.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal dorsal instrumentation is an established treatment option for a range of spinal disorders. In combination with navigation, intraoperative fluoroscopy reduces the risk of incorrectly placing screws. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and validity of fluoroscopy (intraoperative navigation with three-dimensional rotation of C-arm vs. O-arm). METHODS: In this retrospective single-center study, 240 patients were included between July 2017 and April 2020. Intraoperative images were acquired using a Siemens-Arcadis Orbic 3D C-arm with a navigation system (Brainlab, AG, Munich, Germany) or using O-arm (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA) with a navigation system (S7 StealthStation). Finally, we compared mismatches between intraoperative and postoperative computed tomography imaging results using Rampersaud-grade (A-D). RESULTS: A total of 1614 screws were included: 94 patients in the C-arm group (cAG) and 146 in the O-arm group (oAG). In cAG, 3% (n = 20) of the screws had to be replaced directly due to inadequate positioning with median or lateral breaches, and 3.5 % of screws in oAG (n = 35). An A-score was achieved for 85.7% in the cAG and 87.4% in the oAG. A B-score was found in 11.5% in the cAG and 11.9% in the oAG. In the cAG, a C-score was achieved for 2.5% and in oAG for 0.7%. For 0.3% of the screws, a D-score was found in cAG and for none in oAG. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that placement of screws using intraoperative imaging in combination with a navigation tool is accurate. Furthermore, navigation coupled with the O-arm had significant advantages in accuracy over navigation with 3D C-arm fluoroscopy. However, both systems offer a high level of accuracy.

Age at Diagnosis and Baseline Myelomalacia Sign Predict Functional Outcome After Spinal Meningioma Surgery.

Objective: Spinal meningioma (SM) accounts for 12% of all meningiomas. Clinical and immunohistochemical factors were analyzed with regard to functional outcome, surgical adverse events, and tumor recurrence. Methods: One-hundred and twenty-three consecutive SM patients underwent surgery and were retrospectively reviewed with regard to demographic parameters, imaging features, neurological function, and immunohistochemical items. Neurological function was graded according to the Modified McCormick Scale (MMS) and dichotomized as "good (grade I + II)" and "poor (grade III-V)" function. Results: One-hundred and fourteen (92.7%) WHO grade I and 9 (7.3%) WHO grade II SM were included in this study. Univariate analysis identified a baseline T2 hyperintensity of the spinal cord, baseline symptom duration ≥4 weeks, age ≥66 years, and dural tail sign as predictors of poor MMS. Baseline T2 hyperintensity of the spinal cord [Odds ratio (OR) = 13.3, 95% CI = 3.4-52.1, p < 0.001] and age ≥66 years (OR = 10.3, 95% CI = 2.6-41.1, p = 0.001) were independent predictors of a poor MMS grade at discharge after SM surgery in the multivariate binary logistic regression analysis. The 12- and 24-month recurrence-free survival rates were 98.7 % (1/80) and 94.7% (2/38), respectively. In those patients with tumor recurrence of the SM, highly increased MIB-1 (≥5%) labeling indices were observed. Conclusion: Baseline T2 hyperintensity, especially in the elderly patients, is a strong predictor of poorer recovery after spinal meningioma surgery. SMs with high proliferative activity should be followed-up closely despite maximal safe resection.

Can Postoperative CT Imaging in Spine Surgery Be Replaced by Intraoperative 3D Rotation With the C-Arm?: Results of a Prospective Single Center Cohort Study.

Objective: Dorsal instrumentation of the spine is an established treatment option for a range of spinal pathologies. Intraoperative fluoroscopy connected with navigation minimize the risk of incorrect screws placement. In several cases, post-operative CT scans are needed to verify possible mismatches. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of 3D intraoperative fluoroscopy as compared to post-operative CT and the need of post-operative CT. Methods: We conducted a prospective single-center cohort study, 94 patients were included. The screws were implanted using 3D rotation with C-arm and navigation system. The definitive position of the screws was verified by a post-operative CT scan. Finally, we compared the discrepance between intraoperative imaging and post-operative CT scan using Rampersaud-grade (A-D). Results: 607 screws in 94 patients were included. Some 3% of the screws had to be replaced immediately intraoperative due to inadequate position with lateral or medial trajectory. An A-score was achieved for 85.5% of the 3D controlled screws and 87% of the post-operative CT. A B-score was found in 11.5% of either groups. In the 3D group a C-score was achieved for 2.5% and in the CT group for 0.8%. A D-score was found in 0.5% of the screws in both groups, p = 0.45. Only a mismatch of 3% could be detected for the intraoperative and post-operative imaging results. Conclusion: Our study data shows that the placement of screws using the 3D rotation and navigation tool is safe and accurate. There were no relevant mismatches between intraoperative images and the post-operative CT.

Indications for early revision surgery for material failure in spinal instrumentation: experience at a level 1 center for spinal surgery - a single-center study.

ABSTRACT: Posterior instrumentation is an established treatment for a range of spinal disorders. Material failure is not uncommon, and the indications for a revision are very heterogeneous. This study aimed to evaluate the indications and timing for early revision spinal surgery due to material failure.In this retrospective, single-center cohort study, patients underwent spinal posterior instrumentation between January 2017 and July 2019. They were followed up at 3, 12, and 18 months postoperatively. The time of onset of material failure which led to revision surgery was analyzed. In addition, the relationship between the indications for revision surgery and independent variables was examined using a multivariate logistic regression model.A total of one hundred thirty-five patients were enrolled. Radiolucent zones were found in 30 patients (20%) after 3 months, whereas 48 patients (31%) had radiolucent zones after 12 months. Revision surgery was performed in 13 patients (8.5%). The peak time for revision due to instability was within the first four months of the primary surgery. Multivariate analysis revealed that location, pathology, ASA score, and smoking had no significant impact on the indication for revision surgery, and neither did BMI (P = .042). Non-fusion (P = .007) and radiolucent zones (P = .004), in combination with increased pain (P = .006), were predictors for revision.Our data show that the peak time for early revision of material failure after posterior instrumentation was within the first 4 months of primary surgery. The abnormalities (e.g., radiolucent zones) surrounding the screws without fusion, including persistence of pain, were predictors for revision surgery.

Antithrombotic Therapy in Spinal Surgery Does Not Impact Patient Safety-A Single Center Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Antithrombotic therapy is common in older patients to avoid thromboembolic events. Careful planning is required, particularly in the perioperative environment. There are no clearly date guidelines on the best timing for interrupting the use of anticoagulation in the case of spinal surgery. This study evaluates early per procedural clinical outcomes in patients whose antithrombotic therapy was interrupted for spinal surgery. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study. All patients who underwent dorsal instrumentation from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2020 were included. In group A, vitamin K antagonists (VKA) were suspended for 5 days and direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) for 3 days. In group B, antiplatelet agents (APA) were paused for at least 7 days before surgery to prevent perioperative bleeding. Patients not taking anticoagulation medication were gathered into control group C. We analyzed demographic data, ASA status, blood loss, comorbidities, duration of surgery, blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, complications, thromboembolism, and 30 day in-hospital mortality. Multivariate analyses from the three groups were further analyzed and conducted. RESULTS: A total of 217 patients were operated and included. Twenty-eight patients taking VKA/DOAC (group A), 37 patients using APA (group B), and 152 patients without anticoagulation (group C) underwent spinal surgery. Those using anticoagulants were significantly older and often with multimorbidity, but did not differ significantly in procedural bleeding, time of surgery, length of hospital stay, complication rate, thromboembolism, or 30 day in-hospital mortality (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data show that dorsal instrumentation safely took place in patients whose antithrombotic therapy was interrupted.

Shrinkage of the hippocampal remnant after surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy: impact on seizure and neuropsychological outcomes.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the postoperative hippocampal remnant on postoperative seizure and neuropsychological outcome in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Postoperative volumetric MRI measurements of 53 patients surgically treated for TLE revealed a postoperative volume loss of the hippocampal remnant compared with the respective preoperative segment in all patients. Extent of preoperative hippocampal pathology, remnant shrinkage, resection volume, and postoperative volume of the hippocampal remnant did not correlate with seizure outcome 1 year after surgery. With respect to neuropsychological outcome, performance on tasks assessing verbal memory and language-related functions was impaired in patients with left-sided pathology after surgery. Performance of patients with right-sided pathology (n=26) demonstrated no significant correlation with hippocampal measures or with neuropsychological data. Degree of hippocampal remnant shrinkage seems to be associated with decreased verbal memory performance in patients with left-sided TLE.

Mumford-Shah model for one-to-one edge matching.

This paper presents a new algorithm based on the Mumford-Shah model for simultaneously detecting the edge features of two images and jointly estimating a consistent set of transformations to match them. Compared to the current asymmetric methods in the literature, this fully symmetric method allows one to determine one-to-one correspondences between the edge features of two images. The entire variational model is realized in a multiscale framework of the finite element approximation. The optimization process is guided by an estimation minimization-type algorithm and an adaptive generalized gradient flow to guarantee a fast and smooth relaxation. The algorithm is tested on T1 and T2 magnetic resonance image data to study the parameter setting. We also present promising results of four applications of the proposed algorithm: interobject monomodal registration, retinal image registration, matching digital photographs of neurosurgery with its volume data, and motion estimation for frame interpolation.

Restoring three-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography images with mean curvature motion.

OBJECTIVE: The management of neurovascular disease requires precise information on the cerebral vascular anatomy. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is the gold standard against which other imaging modalities have to be measured. To improve the quality of three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) images, we present a novel concept in 3D image analysis. METHODS: Five patients, harboring cerebral aneurysm, underwent DSA, computed tomography angiography (CTA) and MRA. MRA data were processed using a novel anisotropic curvature motion model. Three-dimensional reconstructions of CTA and MRA datasets were used for comparison. RESULTS: The 3D-reconstructed images accurately displayed all aneurysms. The anatomy of the anterior part of the circle of Willis was visualized reliably. The smoothened vessel surfaces enhanced the readability of the images. Regarding visual representation of the posterior part of the circle of Willis, the post-processed MRA showed the arterial segments less accurate than the standard modalities. CONCLUSIONS: This new approach is a promising tool for planning of neurovascular interventions and preoperative evaluation.

Volume determination of amygdala and hippocampus at 1.5 and 3.0T MRI in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Since magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique is constantly evolving with higher field strength scanners, the question arises whether images from different field strength scanners can be used interchangeably for scientific and clinical purposes. We address this issue in a study group of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Two different quantification methods for analysing structural (MRI) were used. Conventional volumetry was performed by manually tracing amygdala and hippocampus volumes on both 1.5 and 3T scans of 10 TLE patients. Additionally a voxel-based morphometry (VBM)-based extraction of those structures was conducted. As an answer to the main question, it was determined that the volumetrically derived volumes of amygdala and hippocampus from 1.5 and 3.0T images did not differ. Our findings concerning the volumetry are consistent with findings in healthy controls, thus offering the possibility to use volumetry of the different scanners interchangeably. The results of the VBM-analyses show satisfying inter-scanner volume quantification but not consistent enough to be deemed interchangeable. Further investigations analysing the outcomes of conventional VBM of different field strength scanners are necessary.

Comparison of manual tracing versus a semiautomatic radial measurement method in temporal lobe MRI volumetry for pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to test a modified radial semiautomated volumetry technique (radial divider technique, RDT) versus the manual volumetry technique (MVT) for proportionality of temporal subvolumes in 30 patients with drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy. METHODS: Included in the study were 30 patients (15 female, 15 male; mean age 39.6 years) with pharmacoresistant epilepsy (mean duration 26.6 years). MRI studies were performed preoperatively on a 1.5-T scanner. All image processing steps and volume measurements were performed using ANALYZE software. The volumes of six subregions were measured bilaterally; these included the superior temporal gyrus (STG), middle + inferior temporal gyrus (MITG), fusiform gyrus (FG), parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), amygdala (AM), and hippocampus (HP). Linear regression was used to investigate the relationship between the comparable subvolumes obtained with MVT and RDT. RESULTS: Very high correlations (R (2) >0.95) between RDT and MVT were observed for the STG + MITG and the STG + MITG + FG, but low correlations for the PHG subvolumes and the combined PHG + HP + AM subvolumes. These observations were independent of the side of the pathology and of hemisphere. CONCLUSION: The two measurement techniques provided highly reliable proportional results. This series in a homogeneous group of TLE patients suggests that the much quicker RDT is suitable for determining the volume of temporolateral and laterobasal temporal lobe compartments, of both the affected and the non-affected side and the right and left hemisphere.