Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41550981›Full record

ArticleNeurosurgery practice2026

Intraoperative Ultrasound Imaging Features Guiding Surgical Strategy in Spinal Cord Ependymoma Resection.

Esteban Ramirez-Ferrer, Ian E McCutcheon, Gil Kimchi, Behrang Amini, Romulo Andrade Almeida, Francisco Call-Orellana, Juan Pablo Zuluaga-Garcia, Robert Y North, Christopher A Alvarez-Breckenridge, Jeffrey S Weinberg and 2 more

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Article in Neurosurgery practice, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

12 authors.

Esteban Ramirez-FerrerDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2775-0157
Ian E McCutcheonDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Gil KimchiDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Behrang AminiDepartment of Musculoskeletal Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Romulo Andrade AlmeidaDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Francisco Call-OrellanaDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Juan Pablo Zuluaga-GarciaDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Robert Y NorthDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Christopher A Alvarez-BreckenridgeDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Jeffrey S WeinbergDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Laurence D RhinesDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Claudio E TatsuiDepartment of Neurosurgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3615-0268

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND

objectivesPreoperative imaging provides surgeons with an initial estimate of tumor infiltration and the likelihood of achieving an en-bloc resection in spinal cord ependymomas, yet the definitive decision is made intraoperatively. This study characterizes the intraoperative ultrasound (iUS) features that guide real-time surgical strategy and are associated with successful

methodsA retrospective review of iUS images obtained during resection of spinal cord ependymomas was performed. The presence of a peritumoral halo representing the transition zone between the tumor and the spinal cord, the dorsal sagittal area of the spinal cord overlying the tumoral poles, the presence and location of tumor cysts, and the diameter of the compressed spinal cord located ventral and dorsal to the tumor were assessed. Demographic and surgical data including extent and technique of resection, occurrence of intraoperative neurophysiological changes, and preoperative and postoperative neurological status were collected.

resultsThe mean dorsal sagittal area of the spinal cord overlying the cranial pole was 0.1 cm

conclusioniUS identifies useful imaging features that allow surgeons to develop a structured resection plan before spinal cord manipulation. Future longitudinal studies are needed to validate whether the presence of a peritumoral halo or the extent of sagittal spinal cord area overlying the tumor poles are predictors of neurological and oncological outcomes.

Indexed as

EpendymomaIntraoperative ultrasoundSpinal cordSurgery

Identifiers

PMID41550981
PMCPMC12806591

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