Laser interstitial thermal therapy using the Leksell Stereotactic System and a diagnostic MRI suite: how I do it.
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ABSTRACT: Background
Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a stereotactic neurosurgical procedure used to treat neoplastic and epileptogenic lesions in the brain. A variety of advanced technological instruments such as frameless navigation systems, robotics, and intraoperative MRI are often described in this context, although the surgical procedure can also be performed using a standard stereotactic setup and a diagnostic MRI suite.Methods
We report on our experience and a surgical technique using a Leksell stereotactic frame and a diagnostic MRI suite to perform LITT.Conclusion
LITT can be safely performed using the Leksell frame and a diagnostic MRI suite, making the technique available even to neuro-oncology centers without advanced technological setup.
SUBMITTER: Jensdottir M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9922222 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Laser interstitial thermal therapy using the Leksell Stereotactic System and a diagnostic MRI suite: how I do it.
Jensdottir Margret M Sandvik Ulrika U Fagerlund Michael M Bartek Jiri J
Acta neurochirurgica 20221231 2
<h4>Background</h4>Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a stereotactic neurosurgical procedure used to treat neoplastic and epileptogenic lesions in the brain. A variety of advanced technological instruments such as frameless navigation systems, robotics, and intraoperative MRI are often described in this context, although the surgical procedure can also be performed using a standard stereotactic setup and a diagnostic MRI suite.<h4>Methods</h4>We report on our experience and a surgical ...[more]
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Project description:ObjectiveMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRg-LITT) is an alternative to open epilepsy surgery. We assess safety and effectiveness of MRg-LITT for extratemporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE) in patients who are considered less favorable for open resection.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed sequential cases of patients with focal ETLE who underwent MRg-LITT between 2012 and 2019. Epileptogenic zones were determined from standard clinical and imaging data ± stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG). Standard stereotactic techniques, MRI thermometry, and a commercial laser thermal therapy system were used for ablations. Anatomic MRI was used to calculate ablation volumes. Clinical outcomes were determined longitudinally.ResultsThirty-five patients with mean epilepsy duration of 21.3 ± 12.2 years underwent MRg-LITT for focal ETLE at a mean age 36.4 ± 12.7 years. A mean 2.59 ± 1.45 trajectories per patient were used to obtain ablation volumes of 8.8 ± 7.5 cm3 . Mean follow-up was 27.3 ± 19.5 months. Of 32 patients with >12 months of follow-up, 17 (53%) achieved good outcomes (Engel class I + II) of whom 14 (44%) were Engel class I. Subgroup analysis revealed better outcomes for patients with lesional ETLE than for those who were nonlesional, multifocal, or who had failed prior interventions (P = .02). Of 13 patients showing favorable seizure-onset patterns (localized low voltage fast activity or rhythmic spiking on SEEG) prior to ablation, 9 (69%) achieved good outcomes, whereas only 3 of 11 (27%) who show other slower onset patterns achieved good outcomes. Minor adverse events included six patients with transient sensorimotor neurologic deficits and four patients with asymptomatic hemorrhages along the fiber tract. Major adverse events included one patient with a brain abscess that required stereotactic drainage and one patient with persistent hypothalamic obesity. Three deaths-two seizure-associated and one suicide-were unrelated to surgical procedures.SignificanceMRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (or MRg-LITT) was well-tolerated and yielded good outcomes in a heterogeneous group of ETLE patients. Lesional epilepsy and favorable seizure-onset patterns on SEEG predicted higher likelihoods of success.
| S-EPMC8019400 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundImproved survival for patients with brain metastases has been accompanied by a rise in tumor recurrence after stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT). Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) has emerged as an effective treatment for SRT failures as an alternative to open resection or repeat SRT. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of LITT followed by SRT (LITT+SRT) in recurrent brain metastases.MethodsA multicenter, retrospective study was performed of patients who underwent treatment for biopsy-proven brain metastasis recurrence after SRT at an academic medical center. Patients were stratified by "planned LITT+SRT" versus "LITT alone" versus "repeat SRT alone." Index lesion progression was determined by modified Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology Brain Metastases (RANO-BM) criteria.ResultsFifty-five patients met inclusion criteria, with a median follow-up of 7.3 months (range: 1.0-30.5), age of 60 years (range: 37-86), Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) of 80 (range: 60-100), and pre-LITT/biopsy contrast-enhancing volume of 5.7 cc (range: 0.7-19.4). Thirty-eight percent of patients underwent LITT+SRT, 45% LITT alone, and 16% SRT alone. Median time to index lesion progression (29.8, 7.5, and 3.7 months [P = .022]) was significantly improved with LITT+SRT. When controlling for age in a multivariate analysis, patients treated with LITT+SRT remained significantly less likely to have index lesion progression (P = .004).ConclusionsThese data suggest that LITT+SRT is superior to LITT or repeat SRT alone for treatment of biopsy-proven brain metastasis recurrence after SRT failure. Prospective trials are warranted to validate the efficacy of using combination LITT+SRT for treatment of recurrent brain metastases.
| S-EPMC9248774 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionThe recent emergence of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) as a frontline surgical tool in the management of brain tumors and epilepsy is a result of advances in MRI thermal imaging. A limitation to further improving LITT is the diversity of brain tissue thermoablative properties, which hinders our ability to predict LITT treatment-related effects. Utilizing the mesiotemporal lobe as a consistent anatomic model system, the goal of this study was to use intraoperative thermal damage estimate (TDE) maps to study short- and long-term effects of LITT and to identify preoperative variables that could be helpful in predicting tissue responses to thermal energy.MethodsFor 30 patients with mesiotemporal epilepsy treated with LITT at a single institution, intraoperative TDE maps and pre-, intra- and post-operative MRIs were co-registered in a common reference space using a deformable atlas. The spatial overlap of TDE maps with manually-traced immediate (post-ablation) and delayed (6-month) ablation zones was measured using the dice similarity coefficient (DSC). Then, motivated by simple heat-transfer models, ablation dynamics were quantified at amygdala and hippocampal head from TDE pixel time series fit by first order linear dynamics, permitting analysis of the thermal time constant (τ). The relationships of these measures to 16 independent variables derived from patient demographics, mesiotemporal anatomy, preoperative imaging characteristics and the surgical procedure were examined.ResultsTDE maps closely overlapped immediate ablation borders but were significantly larger than the ablation cavities seen on delayed imaging, particularly at the amygdala and hippocampal head. The TDEs more accurately predicted delayed LITT effects in patients with smaller perihippocampal CSF spaces. Analyses of ablation dynamics from intraoperative TDE videos showed variable patterns of lesion progression after laser activation. Ablations tended to be slower for targets with increased preoperative T2 MRI signal and in close proximity to large, surrounding CSF spaces. In addition, greater laser energy was required to ablate mesial versus lateral mesiotemporal structures, an effect associated with laser trajectory and target contrast-enhanced T1 MRI signal.ConclusionsPatient-specific variations in mesiotemporal anatomy and pathology may influence the thermal coagulation of these tissues. We speculate that by incorporating demographic and imaging data into predictive models we may eventually enhance the accuracy and precision with which LITT is delivered, improving outcomes and accelerating adoption of this novel tool.
| S-EPMC6034782 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundLaser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) monitoring is being increasingly used in cytoreductive surgery of recurrent brain tumors and tumors located in eloquent brain areas. The objective of this study was to adapt this technique to an animal glioma model.MethodsA rat model of U251 glioblastoma (GBM) was employed. Tumor location and extent were determined by MRI and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI. A day after assessing tumor appearance, tumors were ablated during diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-MRI using a Visualase LITT system (n = 5). Brain images were obtained immediately after ablation and again at 24 h post-ablation to confirm the efficacy of tumor cytoablation. Untreated tumors served as controls (n = 3). Rats were injected with fluorescent isothiocyanate (FITC) dextran and Evans blue that circulated for 10 min after post-LITT MRI. The brains were then removed for fluorescence microscopy and histopathology evaluations using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) staining.ResultsAll rats showed a space-occupying tumor with T2 and T1 contrast-enhancement at pre-LITT imaging. The rats that underwent the LITT procedure showed a well-demarcated ablation zone with near-complete ablation of tumor tissue and with peri-ablation contrast enhancement at 24 h post-ablation. Tumor cytoreduction by ablation as seen on MRI was confirmed by H&E and MHC staining.ConclusionsData showed that tumor cytoablation using MRI-monitored LITT was possible in preclinical glioma models. Real-time MRI monitoring facilitated visualizing and controlling the area of ablation as it is otherwise performed in clinical applications.
| S-EPMC8893160 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) is a new minimally invasive treatment for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), with limited effectiveness data. It is unknown if the cost savings associated with shorter hospitalization could offset the high equipment cost of MRgLITT. We examined the cost-utility of MRgLITT versus surgery for TLE from healthcare payer perspective, and the value of additional research to inform policy decision on MRgLITT.MethodsWe developed a microsimulation model to evaluate quality adjusted life years (QALYs), costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of MRgLITT versus surgery in TLE, assuming life-time horizon and 1.5% discount rate. Model inputs were derived from the literature. We conducted threshold and sensitivity analyses to examine parameter uncertainties, and expected value of partial perfect information analyses to evaluate the expected monetary benefit of eliminating uncertainty on probabilities associated with MRgLITT.ResultsMRgLITT yielded 0.08 more QALYs and cost $7,821 higher than surgery, with ICER of $94,350/QALY. Influential parameters that could change model outcomes include probabilities of becoming seizure-free from disabling seizures state and returning to disabling seizures from seizure-free state 5 years after surgery and MRgLITT, cost of MRgLITT disposable equipment, and utilities of disabling seizures and seizure-free states of surgery and MRgLITT. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curve showed surgery was preferred in more than 50% of iterations. The expected monetary benefit of eliminating uncertainty for probabilities associated with MRgLITT was higher than for utilities associated with MRgLITT.ConclusionsMRgLITT resulted in more QALYs gained and higher costs compared to surgery in the base-case. The model was sensitive to variations in the cost of MRgLITT disposable equipment. There is value in conducting more research to reduce uncertainty on the probabilities and utilities of MRgLITT, but priority should be given to research focusing on improving the precision of estimates on effectiveness of MRgLITT.
| S-EPMC6867628 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is an alternative to open surgery for drug-resistant focal mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Studies suggest maximal ablation of the mesial hippocampal head and amygdalohippocampal complex (AHC) improves seizure freedom rates while better neuropsychological outcomes are associated with sparing of the parahippocampal gyrus (PHG). Optimal trajectories avoid sulci and CSF cavities and maximize distance from vasculature. Computer-assisted planning (CAP) improves these metrics, but the combination of entry and target zones has yet to be determined to maximize ablation of the AHC while sparing the PHG. We apply a machine learning approach to predict entry and target parameters and utilize these for CAP. Ten patients with hippocampal sclerosis were identified from a prospectively managed database. CAP LITT trajectories were generated using entry regions that include the inferior occipital, middle occipital, inferior temporal, and middle temporal gyri. Target points were varied by sequential AHC erosions and transformations of the centroid of the amygdala. A total of 7600 trajectories were generated, and ablation volumes of the AHC and PHG were calculated. Two machine learning approaches (random forest and linear regression) were investigated to predict composite ablation scores and determine entry and target point combinations that maximize ablation of the AHC while sparing the PHG. Random forest and linear regression predictions had a high correlation with the calculated values in the test set (ρ = 0.7) for both methods. Maximal composite ablation scores were associated with entry points around the junction of the inferior occipital, middle occipital, and middle temporal gyri. The optimal target point was the anteromesial amygdala. These parameters were then used with CAP to generate clinically feasible trajectories that optimize safety metrics. Machine learning techniques accurately predict composite ablation score. Prospective studies are required to determine if this improves seizure-free outcome while reducing neuropsychological morbidity following LITT for MTLE.
| S-EPMC6361073 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe management of intracranial oncological disease remains a significant challenge despite advances in systemic cancer therapy. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) represents a novel treatment for local control of brain tumors through photocoagulation with a stereotactically implanted laser fiber. Because the use of laser interstitial thermal therapy continues to increase within neurosurgery, characterization of LITT is necessary to improve outcomes.ObjectiveTo quantify the risk of tumor seeding along the laser fiber tract in patients receiving LITT for primary or metastatic brain tumors at a high-volume treatment center.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed all patients receiving LITT from 2015 to 2021 at our medical center. Patients with biopsy-confirmed tumors were included in this study. Tract seeding was identified as discontinuous, newly enhancing tumor along the LITT tract.ResultsFifty-six patients received LITT for biopsy-confirmed tumors from 2015 to 2021, with tract seeding identified in 3 (5.4%). Twenty-nine (51.8%) patients had gliomas, while the remainder had metastases, of which lung was the most common histology (20 patients, 74%). Tract seeding was associated with ablation proceeding inward from superficial tumor margin closest to the cranial entry point ( P = .03). Patients with tract seeding had a shorter median time to progression of 1.1 (0.1-1.3) months vs 4.2 (2.2-8.6) months ( P = .03).ConclusionAlthough the risk of tract seeding after LITT is reassuringly low, it is associated with decreased progression-free survival. This risk may be related to surgical technique or experience. Follow-up radiosurgery to the LITT tract has the potential to prevent this complication.
| S-EPMC10553123 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundLaser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) has recently gained popularity as a minimally invasive surgical option for the treatment of mesiotemporal epilepsy (mTLE). Similar to traditional open procedures for epilepsy, the most frequent neurological complications of LITT are visual deficits; however, a critical analysis of these injuries is lacking.ObjectivesTo evaluate the visual deficits that occur after LITT for mTLE and their etiology.MethodWe surveyed five academic epilepsy centers that regularly perform LITT for cases of self-reported postoperative visual deficits. For these patients all pre-, intra- and postoperative MRIs were co-registered with an anatomic atlas derived from 7T MRI data. This was used to estimate thermal injury to early visual pathways and measure imaging variables relevant to the LITT procedure. Using logistic regression, we then compared 14 variables derived from demographics, mesiotemporal anatomy, and the surgical procedure for the patients with visual deficits to a normal cohort comprised of the first 30 patients to undergo this procedure at a single institution.ResultsOf 90 patients that underwent LITT for mTLE, 6 (6.7%) reported a postoperative visual deficit. These included 2 homonymous hemianopsias (HHs), 2 quadrantanopsias, and 2 cranial nerve (CN) IV palsies. These deficits localized to the posterior aspect of the ablation, corresponding to the hippocampal body and tail, and tended to have greater laser energy delivered in that region than the normal cohort. The patients with HH had insult localized to the lateral geniculate nucleus, which was -associated with young age and low choroidal fissure CSF volume. Quadrantanopsia, likely from injury to the optic radiation in Meyer's loop, was correlated with a lateral trajectory and excessive energy delivered at the tail end of the ablation. Patients with CN IV injury had extension of contrast to the tentorial edge associated with a mesial laser trajectory.ConclusionsLITT for epilepsy may be complicated by various classes of visual deficit, each with distinct etiology and clinical significance. It is our hope that by better understanding these injuries and their mechanisms we can eventually reduce their occurrence by identifying at-risk patients and trajectories and appropriately tailoring the ablation procedure.
| S-EPMC7998682 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Objective/backgroundThe efficacy of laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) in recurrent glioblastoma (rGBM) is unknown. The goal of this study was to conduct a systematic review and pooled analysis of the literature for outcomes on patients with rGBM undergoing LITT.MethodsA literature search was performed to retrieve all studies investigating overall survival, postprocedure survival, and progression-free survival outcomes of patients with rGBM undergoing LITT. Statistics were pooled together by meta-analysis of mean using a weighted random-effects or fixed-effect model.ResultsEleven studies were included in the final cohort, representing a total of 134 patients with rGBM. The pooled mean age of the cohort at the time of recurrence was 56.7 ± 4.56 years; 41% of the cohort were female. For delivery of LITT, 2 studies used neodymium-yttrium aluminum-garnet laser (Nd:YAG laser), 3 studies used the Visualase system, 5 studies used the NeuroBlate system, and 1 study used both the NeuroBlate and the Visualase system. A total of 8 studies with 107 patients had available data for overall median survival. The pooled overall survival was found to be 18.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.2-21.1). A total of 6 studies with 93 patients had available data for post-LITT survival. The pooled post-LITT survival was found to be 10.1 months (95% CI 8.8-11.6). A total of 8 studies with 119 patients had available data for progression-free survival. Pooled progression free survival was found to be 6 months (95% CI 5.3-6.7).ConclusionsLITT is a novel minimally invasive procedure which, when used with optimal adjuvant therapy, may confer survival benefit for patients with rGBM.
| S-EPMC11605670 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMagnetic Resonance Imaging guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (MRIgLITT) is a promising treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and an alternative to open surgery. However, the relationship between clinical and radiological factors and postoperative outcomes is unclear. This study explores the indications, technical challenges, and outcomes of MRIgLITT in terms of seizure control and cognitive changes across various pathologies.MethodsA retrospective single-center analysis included 32 MRIgLITT procedures performed between January 2019 and December 2023. Procedures used the Visualase® system for laser ablation, with stereotactic robotic guidance for fiber placement. Data included demographics, clinical and surgical details (ablated volume, timing, power and accuracy), and postoperative follow-up assessed seizure outcomes and complications. Cognitive changes were analyzed using a Reliable Change Index (RCI) before and one year after the procedure.ResultsThe 32 procedures involved 28 patients with MRI-diagnosed pathologies: 14 hippocampal sclerosis (HS), 7 hypothalamic hamartoma (HH), 3 focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), 2 periventricular heterotopia (PVH), 1 tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and 1 low-grade glioma. Some cases required multiple approaches. Postoperative follow-up averaged 33 months. Among HS patients, 71.42% achieved Engel I, and 21.43% Engel II. In HH, 85.7% initially became gelastic seizure-free, with complete freedom after additional treatment. Engel I outcomes were 28.6%, while 57.2% showed significant improvement (Engel I + II). FCD patients had a 66.6% Engel I success rate. One PVH patient became seizure-free, while the TSC patient was Engel III at last follow-up. RCI analysis showed that 71.44% of patients experienced cognitive stability (RCI > -1.64) or improvement (RCI > 1.64) at one-year post-procedure.ConclusionsMRIgLITT is a safe, minimally invasive alternative for epilepsy surgery, offering quicker recovery and showing better performance preserving cognitive function. It is particularly effective for deep or complex epileptic foci and patients who might refuse open surgery.
| S-EPMC11807016 | biostudies-literature