Direct stereotactic targeting of the ventrointermediate nucleus of the thalamus based on anatomic 1.5-T MRI mapping with a white matter attenuated inversion recovery (WAIR) sequence.

Background: The ventrointermediate nucleus (Vim) of the thalamus is still considered "invisible" on current magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), requiring indirect methods based on stereotactic atlases for estimation of its location. Direct visualization of Vim is desirable to improve targeting.

Objective: To evaluate the ability of Inversion-Recovery 1.

Spinal meningioma surgery in elderly patients with paraplegia or severe paraparesis: a multicenter study.

Objective: In a multicenter study, 102 patients aged 70 years or older with paraplegia or severe paraparesis, and who underwent operation for spinal meningiomas, are presented to correlate surgery and outcome and to determine the most influential factors that affected this outcome.

Methods: Five French neurosurgical centers participated in this retrospective study between 1990 and 2007. Pre- and postoperative neurological status were assessed using a grading system.