Application of ultrasound imaging to stereotactic brain tumor surgery.

This report describes the first application of intraoperative ultrasound to the stereotactic removal of subcortical brain tumors, here specifically applied to the Kelly system for stereotactic computer-controlled laser resection. The feasibility of ultrasound control of such procedures was demonstrated in the two cases of resection of cerebral astrocytoma presented in this paper. The chief benefits of ultrasound imaging seem to be the supplementary data it gives on the tumor itself, and the possibility of real-time imaging to follow the effects of tumor removal at successive stages of the procedure.