Fluorescence-Guided Surgery in Patients with Tumors Near Motor Areas of the Brain

Background. There is as yet no uniform view as to the effectiveness of fluorescence microscopy (FM) in patients with tumors located near functionally important areas of the brain (FAB), where the surgeon can elect to terminate resection because of a high risk of increasing neurological deficit. Task. To evaluate the effectiveness of FM in removing gliomas near the motor cortex (MC) and corticospinal tract (CST). Methods. A total of 108 adult patients with gliomas near the MC and CST who underwent surgery with neurophysiological monitoring were divided into two groups depending on the use of FM: a control group (34 patients without FM) and a study group (62 patients with FM). Results. The extent of resection and the frequency of neurological deficits in the postoperative period were not significantly different in the groups studied. Conclusions. Despite the absence of any statistically significant between-group difference, FM may be of value as a component of intraoperative monitoring in this group of patients.