Objective: This study evaluates the hypothesis that current image guidance technology can effectively guide the resection of a predefined intracranial volume from the surgical field in the absence of a visually distinct lesion.
Methods: An in vitro model was constructed to simulate the resection of a visually nondistinct lesion. Preoperative CT was acquired, and the lesion was resected from the model with a cavitating ultrasonic aspirator using image guidance information provided by the SurgiScope system.
Results: On average, 77% of the 8.2-cm(3) surgical target volume was removed. Over a series of 5 trials, the underresection volume was 1.9 cm(3) on average or 23% of the surgical target volume. The overresection volume was 1.0 cm(3) on average, representing 13% of the surgical target volume.
Conclusion: This in vitro model developed to evaluate the accuracy and limitations of our current image guidance technology provided quantitative data to demonstrate the potential for robotic navigation systems to guide the volumetric resection in the absence of visual differentiation between the lesion and the surrounding brain.