Neuro-Imaging, Neuromonitoring, and Other Special Investigations
Modern neurosurgery is unimaginable without neuroimaging. Operating neurosurgeons can examine an intracranial pathology virtually (and conceptually) with the help of modern neuroimaging. Neurosurgery has become relatively easy to accomplish due to preoperative and perioperative neuroimaging. Neuroimaging helps in preoperative diagnosis and choosing a per-operative approach, and, perioperatively, it defines pathology precisely and can assess the completeness of resection. Neuromonitoring is very useful in functional preservation during cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve surgery. In this chapter, X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and ultrasonograms are discussed, including with regard to their useful modified (including intraoperative uses) forms. Neuromonitoring (intraoperative neuromonitoring, EEG, ECoG, and neuronavigation) and other special investigations (NCS, EMG, and CSF studies and immunohistochemistry) are discussed briefly in the later part of this chapter.
