New ultrasound techniques and their application in neurosurgical intra-operative sonography

• Published in: Neurological research (New York) 2001-10, Vol.23 (7), p.697-705
• Main Authors: Woydt, Michael, Vince, Giles H., Krauss, Juergen, Krone, Andreas, Soerensen, Niels, Roosen, Klaus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3D-ULTRASOUND; Central Nervous System - diagnostic imaging; Central Nervous System - pathology; Central Nervous System - surgery; Central Nervous System Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Central Nervous System Neoplasms - pathology; Central Nervous System Neoplasms - surgery; Endosonography - instrumentation; Endosonography - methods; Endosonography - trends; EXTENDED FIELD-OF-VIEW TECHNIQUE; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - instrumentation; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - trends; IMAGE-GUIDED SURGERY; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - instrumentation; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - trends; INTRA-OPERATIVE ULTRASOUND; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - instrumentation; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - trends; Neurosurgical Procedures - instrumentation; Neurosurgical Procedures - methods; Neurosurgical Procedures - trends; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - instrumentation; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - methods; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - trends
• ISSN: 0161-6412; 1743-1328
• DOI: 10.1179/016164101101199207

We describe a variety of new ultrasound techniques by their physical background, potentials and applications regarding usefulness during intra-operative neurosurgical procedures. Transducers like highfrequency and small rotating probes fitting into neuroendoscopes, imaging techniques as extended field-ofview technique, harmonic imaging, echo-enhancers, 3-D imaging and the real-time integration of neurosonography with pre-operative CT- or MR-data are mentioned. The technical or physical principles are explained, followed by a discussion of these techniques from available literature dealing with their intra-operative neurosurgical applications and the experience of the authors with the techniques. With higher frequencies micromillimeter imaging is possible and small probe allows endoneurosonography. Echo-enhancers and harmonic imaging improve the signal-to-noise ratio and 3-D imaging and extended field-of-view techniques allows a better understanding of the pathoanatomy. With the real-time integration of intra-operative ultrasound images and pre-operative CT or MR images additional information, like hemodynamic pattern, are available for the neurosurgeon. Although until now only a limited number of reports about new sonographic techniques during intra-operative application in neurosurgery exist, the methods seem to be promising in creating images easier to understand, incorporating more information about pathoanatomy and supplying the neurosurgeon with information additional to that provided by CT and MRI. [Neurol Res 2001; 23: 697-705]