Stereotactic technology in tumor surgery.

Stereotactic technology can be utilized to place a tumor volume interpolated from CT- and MRI-defined boundaries into a 3-dimensional computer image matrix. This information can then be used for surgical planning for stereotactic biopsy and for interactive volumetric stereotactic removal of the lesion. The stereotactic position of surface vessels and sulci is also useful in surgical planning to avoid important vascular structures and to utilize deep sulci for approaches to some deep-seated tumors. Computer interactive stereotactic resection is applicable to superficial and deep lesions in a variety of histologic subtypes. In glial neoplasms the percentage of tumor tissue over infiltrated parenchyma will determine the resectability of a lesion more than the location. Most importantly, the stereotactic discipline allows the incorporation of future technologies which can be useful in the study and treatment of brain neoplasms.