How does the stereotactic workstation help the neurosurgeon?

At the KUL University of Leuven a workstation for the planning of neurosurgical stereotactic procedures has been developed. Its benefits are illustrated in three exemplary cases. The CT and/or MR images, acquired under stereotactic conditions, are transmitted via a PACS network (picture archiving and communication systems) directly to the stereotactic workstation in the operating theater. Target and entry point can be accurately defined on zoomed images. The trajectory can be checked and modified on all registered data sets and on resliced images along any plane. Maximum intensity projection of magnetic resonance angiography data sets along any arbitrary direction show the relative position of the blood vessels and the trajectory. During the preceding 32 months 29 patients were operated on using the stereotactic workstation. Postoperatively no new neurological deficit was observed in any of these patients. The workstation improves patient safety and increases the accuracy of neurosurgical stereotactic operations, because it helps the neurosurgeon to avoid blood vessels and/or important functional areas.