[Evaluation of the crossed cerebro-cerebellar activation to determine language lateralization in patients with brain tumors]. / Evaluación de la actividad cerebro-cerebelar cruzada para determinar la lateralidad del lenguaje en pacientes con tumores cerebrales.

BACKGROUND: The crossed cerebro-cerebellar (CCC) activation facilitates the diagnosis of cortical language lateralization, but needs to be explored with language tasks suitable for patients with different age ranges, educational attainment and eventual presence of language deficits. AIM: To determine the effect of demographic variables in the performance of three language tasks in healthy volunteers and to determine the CCC activation of these tasks as a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm in brain tumor patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The behavioral performance (correct responses and reaction time) of three language tasks (verbal fluency, semantic and phonological decision tasks) was first examined in 76 healthy volunteers balanced by age and educational level. Later, these tasks were implemented as fMRI paradigms to explore CCC language activation of 20 patients with potential diagnosis of brain tumors. RESULTS: The performance of the verbal fluency task was affected by age. The CCC language activation was reproducible with the semantic and phonological tasks. The combination of the tasks determined typical and atypical language lateralization in 60% and 40% of our patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The verbal fluency task must be implemented with care as a clinical fMRI paradigm. Our results suggest that semantic and phonological tasks can be a good alternative for brain tumor patients with language deficits.

Evaluación de la actividad cerebro-cerebelar cruzada para determinar la lateralidad del lenguaje en pacientes con tumores cerebrales / Evaluation of the crossed cerebro-cerebellar activation to determine language lateralization in patients with brain tumors

Background: The crossed cerebro-cerebellar (CCC) activation facilitates the diagnosis of cortical language lateralization, but needs to be explored with language tasks suitable for patients with different age ranges, educational attainment and eventual presence of language deficits. Aim: To determine the effect of demographic variables in the performance of three language tasks in healthy volunteers and to determine the CCC activation of these tasks as a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm in brain tumor patients. Material and Methods: The behavioral performance (correct responses and reaction time) of three language tasks (verbal fluency, semantic and phonological decision tasks) was first examined in 76 healthy volunteers balanced by age and educational level. Later, these tasks were implemented as fMRI paradigms to explore CCC language activation of 20 patients with potential diagnosis of brain tumors. Results: The performance of the verbal fluency task was affected by age. The CCC language activation was reproducible with the semantic and phonological tasks. The combination of the tasks determined typical and atypical language lateralization in 60% and 40% of our patients, respectively. Conclusions: The verbal fluency task must be implemented with care as a clinical fMRI paradigm. Our results suggest that semantic and phonological tasks can be a good alternative for brain tumor patients with language deficits.

Análisis y seguimiento en 50 cirugías trans-esfenoidales de la región sellar / Analysis and monitoring in 50 consecutive transsphenoidal surgeries

El tratamiento de las lesiones de la región selar requiere un equipo multidisciplinario. La evaluación y seguimiento endocrinológico, neurooftalmológico y neuroradiológico, así como el desarrollo de la técnica quirúrgica, el diagnóstico histopatológico y a decisión sobre el tratamiento complementario apuntan a un manejo más integral de esta patología con el objetivo de lograr mejores resultados. Debido a la baja morbi-mortalidad del acceso transesfenoidal, la gran mayoría de las cirugías de la región selar se realizan con este acceso. Este estudio analiza retrospectivamente 50 cirugías transesfenoidales consecutivas realizadas por el autor, incluyendo la clínica, evaluación preoperatoria, algunos aspectos técnicos quirúrgicos, diagnóstico anátomopatológico, así como resultado y seguimiento postoperatorio en las diferentes patologías, con especial énfasis en aspectos como residuo tumoral, resultados endocrinológicos, neurooftalmológicos y complicaciones quirúrgicas. Los resultados fueron analizados estadísticamente y se compararon con los de la literatura.

The treatment of sellar region lesions requires a multidisciplinary approach. The endocrinologic, neuro-ophthalmologic and neuroradiologic evaluation and follow-up, as well as the development of the surgical technique, the histopathologic findings and the decision about complementary therapy aim to a more comprehensive treatment of these pathologies in order to achieve better outcome. Due to the low morbimortality risk of transsphenoidal approach, most of the surgeries of the sellar region are performed by way of this route. This study analyses retrospectively 50 consecutive transsphenoidal surgeries performed by the author, including clinical picture, preoperative evaluation, some issues regarding surgical technique, histopathological diagnosis, as well as results and follow-up in different diseases with special emphasis in residual tumor, endocrinologic and neuro-ophthalmologic outcome, and surgical complications. Results were statistically analyzed and compared to the literature.