Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40599702›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in neuroimaging2025

The use of intraoperative tractography in brain tumor and epilepsy surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Holly Aylmore, Fiona Young, Kristian Aquilina, Chris A Clark, Jonathan D Clayden

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in neuroimaging, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Holly AylmoreDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Fiona YoungDepartment of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Kristian AquilinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom.
Chris A ClarkDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Jonathan D ClaydenDevelopmental Neurosciences Research and Teaching Department, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Tractography is the only available technique for visualizing whitematter pathways within the living brain. Avoiding these pathways during surgical interventions for brain tumors and epilepsy is key to reducing postoperative neurological deficits whilst achieving maximum safe resection. Despite this, the use of intraoperative tractography is not widely adopted in clinical practice, with time required to run analyses often cited as a limitation. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of intraoperative tractography on neurosurgical outcomes in both tumor and epilepsy surgeries. Methods: Conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, five major databases were searched using neurosurgery, tractography, brain tumor, and epilepsy terms. Original primary research studies in English were included. A risk of bias analysis was conducted using the MINORS tool. Results: The search strategy identified 2,611 papers. Following de-duplication and screening, 26 papers were included in the final analysis. Risk of bias was found to be moderate. Findings suggest that the use of intraoperative tractography has the potential to improve surgical outcomes for patients undergoing tumor and epilepsy surgery. Meta-analysis indicated a good rate of gross total resection, 79%, and only three studies of brain tumors and one study of epilepsy reported worsening of neurological deficits. Discussion: Though the evidence supporting its use remains limited, results indicate that intraoperative tractography can be a valuable tool in improving neurosurgical outcomes and reducing the risk of postoperative deficits. Further research is required to determine optimal use in clinical practice. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD42023427427, Identifier: CRD42023427427.

Indexed as

brain tumorsdiffusion tensor imagingepilepsyneurosurgerytractography

Identifiers

PMID40599702
PMCPMC12209374

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.