Increased somatosensory neuromagnetic fields ipsilateral to lesions in neurosurgical patients

This study is aimed to determine whether the presence of a tumor in close proximity to the somatosensory cortex of the post-central gyrus affects the response evoked from such an area by painless tactile stimulation, recorded by MEG. The main finding of this study is that somatosensory evoked field strengths from cortex ipsilateral to and abutting an intracranial tumor are significantly elevated compared with either contralateral control fields, or with somatosensory evoked fields elicited from cortex ipsilateral to, but distant from tumors (typically involving language areas, such as inferior frontal lobe). Biophysical and biochemical explanations implicate hyperactivity of cortical neurons close to the tumor, suggesting a possible role of MEG as a measure of tumor infiltration.