Background Leksell GammaPlan (LGP) and SurgiPlan (ELEKTA Instruments AB, Stockholm, Sweden) may be used effectively for the detailed evaluation of regional neuroanatomy before open
neurosurgical procedures. We report our initial experience in the cases of cerebral
gliomas. Methods LGP v.8.3 was used before the surgical resection of cerebral
gliomas for (1) the delineation of subdural grid
electrodes and a detailed evaluation of their position relatively to cortical structures, and (2) for the fusion of structural magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for a detailed visualization of the corticospinal tract (CST) and optic radiation. Results Delineation of the subdural grid within LGP in a patient with
seizures caused by left parietal
glioma permitted a detailed assessment of the location of
electrodes relative to the cortical gyri and sulci and significantly facilitated interpretation of brain mapping before
tumor resection. In another patient with parieto-occipital
glioma, simultaneous three-dimensional visualization of the
tumor, CST, and optic radiation with the use of LGP permitted us to perform
tumor resection without postoperative neurologic complications. Finally, incorporation of DTI into SurgiPlan resulted in precise planning of stereotactic biopsy for bilateral thalamic
glioma. Conclusion The possibility for detailed evaluation of regional neuroanatomy based on various images within LGP and SurgiPlan may facilitate effective and safe surgical management of intracranial
gliomas.