An attempt to identify brain tumour tissue in neurosurgery by mechanical indentation measurements.

Background: The intraoperative differentiation between tumour tissue, healthy brain tissue, and any sensitive structure of the central nervous system is carried out in modern neurosurgery using various multimodal technologies such as neuronavigation, fluorescent dyes, intraoperative ultrasound or the use of intraoperative MRI, but also the haptic experience of the neurosurgeon. Supporting the surgeon by developing instruments with integrated haptics could provide a further objective dimension in the intraoperative recognition of healthy and diseased tissue.

Methods: In this study, we describe intraoperative mechanical indentation measurements of human brain tissue samples of different tumours taken during neurosurgical operation and measured directly in the operating theatre, in a time frame of maximum five minutes.

Mechanical characteristics of glioblastoma and peritumoral tumor-free human brain tissue.

Background: The diagnosis of brain tumor is a serious event for the affected patient. Surgical resection is a crucial part in the treatment of brain tumors. However, the distinction between tumor and brain tissue can be difficult, even for experienced neurosurgeons.