Novel Software for Performing Leksell Stereotactic Surgery without the Use of Printing Films: Technical Note.

Hospitals in Japan have recently begun to employ the DICOM viewer system on desktop or laptop monitors. However, conventional embedding surgery for deep-brain stimulation with the Leksell stereotactic system (LSS) requires printed X-ray films for defining the coordination, coregistration of actual surgical films with the reference coordinates, and validation of the needle trajectories. While just performing these procedures on desktop or laptop monitors, the authors were able to develop novel software to facilitate complete digital manipulation with the Leksell frame without printing films.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with multiple brain metastases (JLGK0901): a multi-institutional prospective observational study.

Background: We aimed to examine whether stereotactic radiosurgery without whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) as the initial treatment for patients with five to ten brain metastases is non-inferior to that for patients with two to four brain metastases in terms of overall survival.

Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled patients with one to ten newly diagnosed brain metastases (largest tumour <10 mL in volume and <3 cm in longest diameter; total cumulative volume ≤15 mL) and a Karnofsky performance status score of 70 or higher from 23 facilities in Japan. Standard stereotactic radiosurgery procedures were used in all patients; tumour volumes smaller than 4 mL were irradiated with 22 Gy at the lesion periphery and those that were 4-10 mL with 20 Gy.

Development of a freeware for analysis of neuromagnetic epileptic discharges.

We developed a freeware for the analysis of neuromagnetic epileptic discharges and named it "hns_meg." It works as an executable standalone application, compatible with 32/64 bit Microsoft Windows Vista or Mac OSX 10.6.

Evaluation of dose delivery accuracy of Gamma Knife by polymer gel dosimetry.

The BANG polymer gel dosimeter was used to evaluate 3D absorbed dose distributions in tissue delivered with Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery systems. We compared dose distributions calculated with Leksell GammaPlan (LGP) treatment-planning software with dose distributions measured with the polymer gel dosimeter for single-shot irradiations. Head-sized spherical glass vessels filled with the polymer gel were irradiated with Gamma Knife.

Detection and differentiation of lactate and lipids by single-voxel proton MR spectroscopy.

The signals of lactate and lipids partially overlap in single-voxel proton MR spectroscopy (1HMRS), sometimes making them difficult to differentiate in clinical settings. Our aim in this study was to identify lactate and lipids by varying the echo time (TE). We expect that the accurate detection of lactate and lipids will have high diagnostic value in the diagnosis of brain tumors.

Effect of subthalamic stimulation on mood state in Parkinson's disease: evaluation of previous facts and problems.

In an attempt to clarify the effect of deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the subthalamic nucleus (STN) on mood state, previous evidence and problems were evaluated through a systematic literature search. Twenty three articles reported the effect of STN DBS on mood state in Parkinson's disease (PD), and antidepressant, depressant, and mania-induced effects were reported in 16.7-76%, 2-33.

[Multiple recurrences of cerebellar hemangioblastoma after 20 years from initial total removal of the tumor].

Cerebellar hemangioblastoma develops alone or develops as part of von Hippel-Lindau disease. Moreover, multiple hemangioblastomas are found in 10-15%. It was reported that some hemangioblastomas recur with multiple recurrence in long time follow-up period.

Infundibuloneurohypophysitis presenting a large sellar-juxtasellar mass: case report.

Background: Infundibuloneurohypophysitis (INH) is reported to be a self-limiting inflammatory disease involving neurohypophysis. The authors experienced a case of INH presenting a large mass compressing the brain stem.

Case Presentation: The patient exhibited polyuria followed by left hemiparesis and dysarthria lasting a year.