Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Tractography to Map Cranial Nerves for Safer Skull Base Tumor Surgery

What this Trial Is About

Skull base tumor surgery is complex because many important nerves and blood vessels are nearby. Researchers are studying how diffusion tensor imaging DTI and tractography, which map nerve fibers, can help predict the location of cranial nerves affected by these tumors. This imaging technique may assist surgeons in avoiding nerve damage during surgery. The study is interventional and evaluates the accuracy of DTI in locating cranial nerves before and after surgery. Participants with skull base tumors needing surgical removal undergo a preoperative cerebral MRI using a 3 tesla machine with a DTI sequence to track cranial nerve fibers. The expected nerve positions from imaging are compared to their actual positions found during surgery. The study focuses on patients requiring tumor removal and uses imaging to support surgical planning. During the study, patients receive a preoperative MRI within three months before surgery. Researchers then assess the correlation between the nerve positions predicted by imaging and those observed during the operation and again three months after surgery. They also monitor for any postoperative cranial nerve palsy at three months. This helps evaluate how well the imaging method predicts nerve location and potential nerve damage over time.

Cranial Nerves Tractography