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The Rock For Children Foundation has developed a productive relationship with The Midwest Children’s Brain Tumor Center under the direction of Dr. John Ruge and his team of experts. Dr. Ruge is chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Lutheran General Children’s Hospital. The Midwest Children’s Brain Tumor Center has launched an exciting new dye study for children, the first of it’s kind in the United States. Studying the efficacy of surgery performed with the intra-operative MRI combined with the brain tumor dye may help to redefine brain tumor surgery. We are proud to have contributed research dollars to this $2 million dollar program and are committed to supporting The Midwest Children’s Brain Tumor Center in future programs. The Intra-Operative MRI Neurosurgeons specializing in brain tumors are faced with the difficult task of deciding how much is enough when resecting a brain tumor. One millimeter can mean the difference between a patient walking or having to spend his or her life in a wheelchair. One millimeter can mean the difference between a child living cancer free or living with residual tumor. Neurosurgeons constantly have to balance live versus quality of life. Most neurosurgeons us MRI images of the brain before surgery to help guide them during surgery. However, once the operation has started the brain can shift up to a centimeter, making MRI images less accurate. The Midwest Children’s Brain Tumor Center is only one of a few centers around the world that uses and MRI scan during surgery. This new technology allows accurate guidance so critical structures in the brain can be avoided. The intra-operative MRI also gives the neurosurgeon immediate feedback on the amount of tumor removed. Instead of identifying residual tumor via an MRI done after surgery, the intra-operative MRI can detect residual tumor during surgery, avoiding the need for a second operation. The intra-operative MRI is also a powerful research tool when coupled with other new neurosurgical techniques, which leads to improved patient care. For more information on The Intra-Operative MRI - Click Here. |
