Image guidance in skull base tumor resection: A synergistic approach using intraoperative navigated angiosonography for real-time vessel visualization

The authors report their experience with image-based preoperative vascular and neural element segmentation with three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction for intraoperative guidance in ten patients undergoing surgery for skull base tumor resection. In all cases, the 3D segmented structures were correlated to the correspondent intraoperative findings with the aid of neuronavigation. They conclude that neuronavigation, especially in skull base lesions, is extremely informative for both preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation. Moreover, thanks to the relative immobility of the structures of this area, it is reliable throughout the duration of the surgery.