Endo-neuro-sonography: first clinical séries (52 cases)

A sono catheter for transendoscopic imaging was applied in neurosurgery for the first time in 52 patients with a broad variety of lesions. A transendoscopic sono catheter (Aloka Deutschland GmbH, Düsseldorf, Germany) with a diameter of 1.9 mm (6F) was used and introduced into the working canal of an endoscope. The image produced by the probe is a 360 degrees scan ("brain radar") displayed on a monitor, on which some parameters can be varied to get the best view of the different anatomical structures. In 39 patients intraoperative imaging was the main reason for investigation and in 13 patients neuronavigation was the focus of interest. In 18 cases of tumor resection control targeting a visualized remnant was necessary. There are limitations and artifacts, which should reveal themselves in laboratory and clinical experience. In this small series, endo-neuro-sonography proved to make neuroendoscopy safer and easier by online and real-time imaging with high resolution.