The application of ultrasound during brain surgery

The use of intraoperative, real‐time ultrasound imaging during intracranial neurosurgical procedures is described. This technique has proven to be extremely useful for localization of a wide variety of deep and superficial brain lesions, and for needle biopsy or aspiration of selected lesions. The precise localization provided by ultrasonic imaging shortens the time of surgery and increases the safety for the patient . Every type of primary and metastatic tumor of the brain has imaged well, and low‐grade gliomas are often better defined with ultrasound than by computed tomographic scanning. Abscesses can be imaged and aspirated, and hematomas are easily imaged. A variety of vascular lesions including aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations can be localized and characterized. Structural abnormalities such as hydrocephalus and Arnold‐Chiari malformation can be well delineated .