Role of (fMRI) in Clinical Applications in the Field of Neurosurgery

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) includes many different techniques and body areas, but the examination that is most commonly associated with the term is brain imaging using blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast. fMRI is being used increasingly for functional brain mapping. It is useful for research of disease processes and to better understand the way the brain works. It is also very useful in a clinical setting, especially for surgical planning. If neurosurgery is needed for a tumor in the brain or to remove a portion of the brain responsible for initiating epileptic seizures, fMRI can identify nearby areas that could be at risk, including areas responsible for motor, sensory, or cognitive functions that may be damaged. This allows the neurosurgeon to plan an approach that will spare as much of these areas as possible. Since its description in the early 1990's, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used first for research purposes, and after in clinical applications in the field of neurosurgery. The present contribution discusses the clinical use of functional MRI (fMRI) and its role in the most common neurological diseases. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the literature on fMRI to achieve a better understanding of the usefulness of fMRI in brain surgery and to describe the newly-established technique in the field of neurological surgery for fusion imaging.