ABSTRACT
DEFINITION: Radio Guided Neurosurgery(1) (RGNS) is a technique using systemic administration of radionuclide in which a gamma probe is used intra-operatively to identify isotope-rich brain tumour, and check for residual lesions after excision of visually identifiable lesion. AIMS: To assess the usefulness of this technique in surface-localizing brain tumours, in real time, intra-operative identification of tumour from brain, and in assessing completeness of excision. Tumours in or near eloquent areas are of special interest. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective, non-randomized and non-blinded. METHODS AND MATERIAL: The study included 19 patients with intrinsic brain tumours operated between July 2005 & December 2006. A high degree of radioisotope uptake was confirmed on Single Positron Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) with fusion of Computed Tomographic (CT) images (SPECT-CT) in all patients after IV injections of 99m Technetium Sestamibi (Tc). We use a Euro 4 Probe (Euro Medical Instruments, Paris) which detects gamma emissions. Intra-operatively, the probe was used to identify tumour from normal brain using a difference in activity of a factor of 2. The end point was complete tumour removal as determined by absence of significant residual activity. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This inexpensive and highly portable system provides realtime, intra-operative identification of tumour and assessment of completeness of tumour excision. It can guide the location of craniotomy and identify visually indistinct tumor from normal brain, a situation where the surgeon may leave behind residual tumour to avoid serious deficits. The use of RGNS enhances the neurosurgeon's confidence with tumours in or near eloquent areas and provides reliable proof of the completeness of excision in real time.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Gamma Cameras , Imaging, Three-Dimensional/instrumentation , Surgery, Computer-Assisted/instrumentation , Brain/pathology , Brain/surgery , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Brain Neoplasms/surgery , Female , Humans , Imaging, Three-Dimensional/methods , Male , Pilot Projects , Prospective Studies , Radionuclide Imaging , Radiopharmaceuticals , Surgery, Computer-Assisted/methods , Technetium Tc 99m Sestamibi , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
There has been considerable research on the influence of the lunar cycle on mental illness with conflicting findings. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between full moon (FM), new moon (NM), and other moon (OM) days and the frequency of specific psychiatric disorders in patients seen at a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Goa and to examine relationships with eclipses. Analysis of all new patients in two calendar years (1997 & 1993) was carried out. Diagnoses of interest were : Non affective psychoses; depression; and mania. The numbers of new patients seen at the OPD of the Institute of Psychiatry & Human Behaviour, Goa, with these diagnoses were compared between FM, NM and OM days. Numbers of patients with these diagnoses on eclipse days (lunar/solar) were also examined. A significant trend was observed for greater numbers of patients with non-affective psychoses on FM days, but no pattern was observed for mania or depression. The excess of non-affective psychoses was more marked on days of a visible lunar eclipse. A relationship between FM and non-affective psychoses has been demonstrated. Its implications for further research and the potential mechanism to explain these findings are discussed.
