Objectives-Functional MRI (fMRI) holds the promise of non-invasive mapping of human brain function in both health and disease. Yet its sensitivity and reliability for mapping higher cognitive function are still being determined. Using verbal fluency as a task, the objective was to ascertain the consistency of fMRI on a conventional scanner for determining the anatomic substrate of language between subjects and between sexes. Comparison was made with previous PET studies. Methods-Using a 1.5 Tesla magnet and an echoplanar pulse sequence, whole brain fMRI was obtained from 12 normal right handed subjects (6 males and 6 females) as they performed a verbal fluency task. However, decremental responses were seen over a much larger area of the posterior cortex than had been anticipated by prior studies. The ability to see a response in each subject individually suggests that fMRI may be useful in the preinterventional mapping of pathological states, and oVers a non-invasive alternative to the Wada test for assessment of hemispheric dominance. There were no gross diVerences in the pattern of activation between male and female subjects. (J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1998;64:492-498)

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✓ Spinal tuberculosis (Pott disease) is uncommon in developed countries. On imaging studies diagnosis of this lesion may not be considered or it might be mistaken for pyogenic osteomyelitis. Features most strongly indicative of a diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis are relative sparing of the disc space, large paraspinous abscesses, a thick rim of enhancement around the paraspinous and intraosseous abscesses, calcifications within the paraspinous collections, and a fragmentary pattern of osseous destruction. As the disease progresses, there is worsening of the osseous destruction, leading to collapse of the vertebral body and eventual progression to kyphotic deformity. Based on recent experience, the authors review the major imaging characteristics associated with spinal tuberculosis and describe the typical course of the disease as documented on plain radiographs, computerized tomography scans, and magnetic resonance images.

Frameless stereotaxy allows surgeons to 1) plan the optimal trajectory to an AVM, 2) minimize the skin incision and craniotomy sizes, and 3) confirm the AVM margins and identify deep vascular components during resection. These benefits of stereotaxy were most apparent for small, deep AVMs that were not visible on the surface of the brain. Frameless stereotaxy reduces the operative time and blood loss during AVM resection.

Placement of C1 lateral mass and C2 pedicle screws using minimally invasive techniques is technically feasible.

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