ABSTRACT
Functional magnetic resonance imaging and cortical mapping As indicated in Chapter 3, fMRI prior to surgery and cortical mapping during surgery have important roles to play in the treatment of diffuse astrocytomas. Functional magnetic imaging can identify not only sensory and motor areas, but also language areas of brain that cannot be identified at neurosurgery unless the patient is operated on under local anesthesia. Mapping during the course of surgery can identify sensory and motor areas, even under general anesthesia. These tests are particularly important in patients with diffuse astrocytomas because of their infiltrative nature. By delineating the exact location of these critical areas, these tests enable the surgeon to plan his approach appropriately. Many patients with diffuse astrocytomas suffering from focal neurologic symptoms improve after compression of an eloquent area is relieved without the area itself being violated.
