Brain shift in neuronavigation of brain tumors: A review

• Published in: Medical image analysis 2017-01, Vol.35, p.403-420
• Main Authors: Gerard, Ian J., Kersten-Oertel, Marta, Petrecca, Kevin, Sirhan, Denis, Hall, Jeffery A., Collins, D. Louis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological effects; Brain; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - surgery; Brain cancer; Brain Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Brain Neoplasms - surgery; Brain shift; Brain tumors; Compensation; Humans; Image guided neurosurgery; Image registration; Intervention; Intraoperative imaging; Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring; Literature reviews; Neuroimaging; Neuronavigation; Neuronavigation - methods; Neurosurgery; Registration errors; Surgery; Surgical instruments; Taxonomy; Tumors
• ISSN: 1361-8415; 1361-8423
• DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2016.08.007

•A comprehensive review of research on the phenomenon of brain shift.•A new taxonomy separating brain shift into physical, biological and surgical factors.•Contrast between brain shift corrections through intraoperative imaging methods.•Recommendations for future focus of brain shift research. Purpose: Neuronavigation based on preoperative imaging data is a ubiquitous tool for image guidance in neurosurgery. However, it is rendered unreliable when brain shift invalidates the patient-to-image registration. Many investigators have tried to explain, quantify, and compensate for this phenomenon to allow extended use of neuronavigation systems for the duration of surgery. The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of the work that has been done investigating brain shift. Methods: A review of the literature dealing with the explanation, quantification and compensation of brain shift is presented. The review is based on a systematic search using relevant keywords and phrases in PubMed. The review is organized based on a developed taxonomy that classifies brain shift as occurring due to physical, surgical or biological factors. Results: This paper gives an overview of the work investigating, quantifying, and compensating for brain shift in neuronavigation while describing the successes, setbacks, and additional needs in the field. An analysis of the literature demonstrates a high variability in the methods used to quantify brain shift as well as a wide range in the measured magnitude of the brain shift, depending on the specifics of the intervention. The analysis indicates the need for additional research to be done in quantifying independent effects of brain shift in order for some of the state of the art compensation methods to become useful. Conclusion: This review allows for a thorough understanding of the work investigating brain shift and introduces the needs for future avenues of investigation of the phenomenon. [Display omitted]