Clinical applications of [15O] H2O PET activation studies

Abstract

Localization of eloquent cortical regions is an important aspect of neurosurgical practice. When lesions lie close to or within areas such as somatosensory, motor or language cortex, the goal of surgical treatment is maximal resection without causing neurological deficit. Hence precise functional mapping combined with accurate delineation of the extent of pathology is important for deciding whether surgery is feasible at all and defining the safe limit of resection and the optimal operative approach. In addition, when the electroclinical pattern of intractable seizures suggests a specific localization in sensorimotor cortex (e.g., seizures originating in the face area), functional mapping ma..