Intraoperative MRI

Patients who undergo surgery for the removal of a brain tumor at Roswell Park have the benefit of another technological advantage: intraoperative MRI or iMRI. Roswell Park had the first such unit in upstate New York giving Roswell neurosurgeons extensive experience in its use. Intraoperative MRI makes it possible to acquire updated scans of the brain during brain tumor surgery, providing neurosurgeons with “real-time” images of the brain to improve the completeness of brain tumor removal. Without iMRI, neurosurgeons must rely exclusively on images obtained before surgery. Such images may not provide an accurate picture of the tumor and the surrounding anatomy once part of the tumor has been removed.

The images produced by iMRI can help neurosurgeons to distinguish between residual tumor and healthy brain tissue, which may be difficult to accomplish with the surgeon’s eye alone. Such an aid can be beneficial for ensuring more complete removal of the tumor while avoiding manipulation of healthy tissue. The iMRI unit makes it possible to assess the progression of surgery by comparing images obtained at intervals as the operation proceeds. iMRI can also alert neurosurgeons to problems that develop before the patient’s incision is closed, thus reducing the possibility of post-surgery complications.