Enhancing the Extent of Resection in Glioma Surgery Through the Integration of Intraoperative Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Fluorescein Sodium.

[OBJECTIVE] Due to the infiltrative nature and high local recurrence of gliomas, particularly high-grade gliomas, gross total resection (GTR) of a tumor is the first critical step in treatment. This study aimed to determine whether the integration of intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and fluorescein sodium can improve the identification of tumor boundaries and residuals, and increasethe extent of resection (EOR) to better protect neurological function.

[METHODS] We retrospectively analysed clinical data from 87 glioma surgeries and categorised the patients into 3 groups: CEUS plus fluorescein sodium, fluorescein sodium alone and microsurgery alone.

[RESULTS] In terms of EOR, GTR was achieved in 22 (91.7%) patients in the CEUS plus fluorescein sodium group, which was significantly higher than that in other groups. In the subgroup analysis of tumors with lobulated or satellite lesions and WHO grade III or IV gliomas, CEUS plus fluorescein sodium group showed the highest GTR (86.7% and 88.9% respectively) among the groups. Logistic regression analysis of factors that may affect the GTR of tumors showed that the functional areas involvement and the presence of lobulated or satellite lesions were risk factors, whereas CEUS plus fluorescein sodium group was a protective factor. However, CEUS plus fluorescein sodium group had the longest surgery time.

[CONCLUSIONS] Intraoperative CEUS with fluorescein sodium is a real-time, straightforward, safe, and effective approach to perform surgical resection of gliomas. This approach assists surgeons in identifying tumor boundaries, residual tumors, and normal brain parenchyma, which increases the EOR.