Neuronavigation

The term neuronavigation describes the computer-assisted transfer of three-dimensional image data of a patient to the current or future surgical field before or during an operation. Neuronavigation can therefore also be compared to a GPS system.

The image of the patient's brain is projected onto the patient's real head. In this way, the surgeon can "look inside" the patient and relate these images to the instruments or the surgical microscope. It is thus possible for him to navigate instruments with millimeter precision to a point in the brain that would otherwise not be visible to him.

Since a slight shift of the brain occurs during tumor removal, in some cases a new MRI image is needed during surgery for high precision and detection of small residual tumors.