Resting-state functional MRI in an intraoperative MRI setting: proof of feasibility and correlation to clinical outcome of patients

OBJECTIVE The authors' aim in this paper is to prove the feasibility of resting-state (RS) functional MRI (fMRI) in an intraoperative setting (iRS-fMRI) and to correlate findings with the clinical condition of patients pre- and postoperatively. METHODS Twelve patients underwent intraoperative MRI-guided resection of lesions in or directly adjacent to the central region and/or pyramidal tract. Intraoperative RS (iRS)-fMRI was performed pre- and intraoperatively and was correlated with patients' postoperative clinical condition, as well as with intraoperative monitoring results. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to postprocess the RS-fMRI data concerning the sensorimotor networks, and the mean z-scores were statistically analyzed. RESULTS iRS-fMRI in anesthetized patients proved to be feasible and analysis revealed no significant differences in preoperative z-scores between the sensorimotor areas ipsi- and contralateral to the tumor. A significant decrease in z-score (p < 0.01) was seen in patients with new neurological deficits postoperatively. The intraoperative z-score in the hemisphere ipsilateral to the tumor had a significant negative correlation with the degree of paresis immediately after the operation (r = -0.67, p < 0.001) and on the day of discharge from the hospital (r = -0.65, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated moderate prognostic value of the intraoperative z-score (area under the curve 0.84) for the paresis score at patient discharge. CONCLUSIONS The use of iRS-fMRI with ICA-based postprocessing and functional activity mapping is feasible and the results may correlate with clinical parameters, demonstrating a significant negative correlation between the intensity of the iRS-fMRI signal and the postoperative neurological changes.