Intraoperative non-invasive infrared imaging during resection of large arteriovenous malformations

Intraoperative infrared (IR) imaging during resection of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) is presented. The IR images obtained by the IR camera installed on the operating microscope realizes a non-invasive observation of the temperature distribution map on the cortex. By adjusting the window width and level of the IR images, the surface temperature between cerebral arteries, cerebral veins and cortex were differentiated. Computed colour-coded IR imaging represented the cerebral arteries as red, the cerebral veins as blue and the cerebral cortex as black. In colour-coded IR imaging, the nidus and draining veins of the AVM were demonstrated as red areas on black cortex. Based on intraoperative IR images, total obliteration of the feeding arteries could be confirmed as normalization of the surface temperature of the nidus and the draining veins.