Applications of Intraoperative Ultrasound in Epilepsy Surgery for Focal Cortical Dysplasia

Abstract

The definite margins of focal cortical dysplasias (FCDs) are usually not clear, and all epileptic surgeons have tried to identify them by advanced navigation, fusing magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging, and intraoperative mapping in past decades. In this report, we present a convenient tool to define the boundary of FCD and improve the surgical outcome. The safe and effective method of image guidance by intraoperative ultrasound was demonstrated, and is time-saving and of a high resolution. In the future, intraoperative ultrasound will be useful in defining subtle epileptogenic lesions, especially when the surgeons encounter FCDs.

Keywords

• epilepsy surgery
• focal cortical dysplasia
• intraoperative ultrasound
• navigation