Shared Objective Mentorship via Virtual Research and Education Initiatives for Medical Students and Residents in Neurosurgery: A Systematic Review and Methodological Discussion of the Neurosurgery Education and Research Virtual Group Experience.

OBJECTIVE: Virtual mentorship and research programs are becoming increasingly popular to facilitate education and career development for students and residents. We review virtual research initiatives for early trainees in neurosurgery and describe our effort to expand access to resources and shared objective mentorship (SOM) via the novel Neurosurgery Education and Research Virtual Group (NERVE). METHODS: A systematic review of neurosurgical programming delivered via a virtual platform was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. Identified articles were screened. Those meeting prespecified inclusion criteria were reviewed in full and examined for relevant data. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel, and means and standard deviations were calculated. Descriptive analysis of NERVE characteristics was also performed. RESULTS: Of the 2438 identified articles, 10 were included. The most common (70%) implementation style was a webinar-based lecture series. The least common (10%) was a longitudinal curricular interest group. Of the total NERVE cohort, 90% were first generation medical students and 82% attended institutions without home programs. Survey results indicated 73.8% had contributed to at least 2 research projects throughout the year. CONCLUSIONS: There is a scarcity of virtual neurosurgical resources which facilitate SOM opportunities for trainees. In our systematic review, NERVE is the only multi-institutional virtual initiative aimed at increasing access to neurosurgical education and research opportunities for the purpose of SOM among early trainees from disadvantaged backgrounds. This highlights the group's niche and potential impact on increasing diversity in neurosurgery, improving trainees' career development, and facilitating future resident research productivity.

Effect of distance from target on hypopituitarism after stereotactic radiosurgery for pituitary adenomas.

INTRODUCTION: Delayed hypopituitarism is the most common complication after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for pituitary adenomas. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the distance from the hypothalamic-pituitary axis to the treatment target and anterior pituitary function preservation after SRS. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2020, consecutive adult patients who underwent single-session SRS for non-functioning or hormone-secreting pituitary adenomas with ≥ 6 months of follow-up were included. Distance measurements between hypothalamic-pituitary axis structures and the SRS target volume were quantified on MRI. The primary outcome was anterior pituitary function preservation. Outcomes were compared using multivariable regression and area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) analyses. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 224 patients, who were categorized by preservation (n = 168) and no preservation (n = 56) of anterior pituitary function after SRS. The mean and median clinical follow-up durations were 53.7 (38.0) and 46.0 (17.0-75.0) months, respectively. Independent predictors of anterior pituitary function preservation were a greater distance between the center of the pituitary gland and center of the SRS target [OR 1.101 (1.000-1.213), p = 0.050], and a shorter clinical follow-up duration [OR 0.985 (0.977-0.993), p < 0.0001]. The adjusted AUROC for the distance from the center of the pituitary gland and center of the SRS target in predicting anterior pituitary function preservation was 0.595. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value in predicting anterior pituitary function preservation at the optimal cut-off distance of 15 mm were 30.0, 88.0, 89.9 and 26.2%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Greater distance between the normal pituitary gland and the SRS target is associated with anterior pituitary function preservation and increasing this distance should be a goal of adenoma resection. Larger prospective, multi-center studies are necessary to corroborate this finding and establish the effects of distance on hypopituitarism after SRS for pituitary adenomas.

Clinical utility of arterial spin labeling imaging in disorders of the nervous system.

Neuroimaging is an indispensable tool in the workup and management of patients with neurological disorders. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an imaging modality that permits the examination of blood flow and perfusion without the need for contrast injection. Noninvasive in nature, ASL provides a feasible alternative to existing vascular imaging techniques, including angiography and perfusion imaging. While promising, ASL has yet to be fully incorporated into the diagnosis and management of neurological disorders. This article presents a review of the most recent literature on ASL, with a special focus on its use in moyamoya disease, brain neoplasms, seizures, and migraines and a commentary on recent advances in ASL that make the imaging technique more attractive as a clinically useful tool.