Abstract
BackgroundRoutine postoperative imaging (PI) following surgery for intracranial meningiomas is common practice in most neurosurgical departments. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of routine PI and its impact on clinical decision making after resection of meningioma.MethodsPatient and tumor characteristics, details of radiographic scans, symptoms and alteration of treatment courses were prospectively collected for patients undergoing removal of a supratentorial meningioma of the convexity, falx, tentorium, or lateral sphenoid wing at the authors’ institution between January 1st, 2010 and March 31st, 2012. Patients with infratentorial manifestations or meningiomas of the skull base known to be surgically difficult (e.g. olfactory groove, petroclival, medial sphenoid wing) were not included. Maximum tumor diameter was divided into groups of < 3cm (small), 3 to 6 cm (medium), and > 6 cm (large).Results206 patients with meningiomas were operated between January 2010 and March 2012. Of these, 113 patients met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in this study. 83 patients (73.5%) did not present new neurological deficits, whereas 30 patients (26.5%) became clinically symptomatic. Symptomatic patients had a change in treatment after PI in 21 cases (70%), while PI was without consequence in 9 patients (30%). PI did not result in a change of treatment in all asymptomatic patients (p<0.001) irrespective of tumor size (p<0.001) or localization (p<0.001).ConclusionsPI is mandatory for clinically symptomatic patients but it is safe to waive it in clinically asymptomatic patients, even if the meningioma was large in size.
Highlights
Symptomatic patients had a change in treatment after postoperative imaging (PI) in 21 cases (70%), while PI was without consequence in 9 patients (30%)
PI did not result in a change of treatment in all asymptomatic patients (p
PI is mandatory for clinically symptomatic patients but it is safe to waive it in clinically asymptomatic patients, even if the meningioma was large in size
Summary
Intracranial meningiomas account for approximately 20–25% of all intracranial tumors[1], and surgical removal usually is the preferred method of treatment. Because neurological examination may be impaired in patients after craniotomy due to anesthetics, analgesics or swelling, routine early postoperative imaging (PI) is often ordered. The rationale behind this neuroimaging following meninigoma surgery is to identify emerging problems such as bleeding or infarction at an early stage. In most cases the impact on clinical decision-making may be limited. Routine postoperative imaging (PI) following surgery for intracranial meningiomas is common practice in most neurosurgical departments. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of routine PI and its impact on clinical decision making after resection of meningioma
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