Alexandre Boutet
Evolution in neuroradiology, and indeed the wider radiology field, is in part dictated by novel diagnoses, therapies, and imaging techniques. The most frequently encountered indications and imaging modalities have changed drastically over the past decades. The expectations of radiology reports are also changing, with a trend toward the use of standardized reporting and quantitative scales. One clinical specialty in particular has contributed to these changes in neuroradiology: functional neurosurgery. In its broadest sense, functional neurosurgery includes the surgical treatment of pain, movement disorders, epilepsy, and psychiatric conditions. In this edition of the AJNR News Digest, we showcase several articles that highlight recent developments in this field and explore their potential impact on neuroradiology.
Functional neurosurgery is largely dedicated to modulating aberrant circuits associated with a wide range of neurologic conditions. Generally speaking, this can be achieved through stereotactic methods, including lesioning or electrically stimulating key brain structures. As a basic principle, the targeted structure represents a crucial hub of the circuit of interest; the motor circuit is targeted in Parkinson disease whereas structures implicated in mood regulation and cognition are targeted in psychiatric disorders and Alzheimer disease, respectively.1,2 Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as the dominant stereotactic functional … more »
