Stereotaxic diagnosis and treatment of intracranial tumors including an initial experience with cryosurgery for pinealomas

✓ With use of the Todd-Wells stereotaxic unit and appropriate biopsy needles, confirmation was obtained of the preoperative diagnosis in 25 of 31 deep-seated intracranial tumors. Selective criteria, preoperative evaluation, and the method of biopsy are described, and the advantages of stereotaxic biopsy discussed. The successful addition of stereotaxic cryosurgical treatment of two pinealomas following biopsy is briefly reported.