Advancement in imaging aids in brain surgery

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A revolutionary tool is helping specialists identify high grade tumors during brain surgery.

Dr. Aaron Brooking, a neurosurgeon with Broward Health, said a new imaging agent called Gleolan is used in fluorescence guided surgery to more accurately perform the procedure.

“In these craniotomies and surgeries that we do for tumor resection often times it’s quite difficult to lineage tumor verses normal brain tissue and so obviously it’s quite important to stay within the tumor and not to take any normal brain tissue,” he said.

Brooking said Gleolan is part of a new class of optical imaging agents are helping make this intricate surgery more safe and effective.

And a new study out of Germany has described how the coronavirus affects the brain.

Scientists have found that when the spike protein associated with the virus gains access to the brain through the nose, it triggers an immune response similar to what happens in the rest of the body.

While the virus may not be multiplying in the brain, the study authors said the finding explain why some people have brain fog and memory loss after being infected with COVID.


About the Authors:

Kristi Krueger has built a solid reputation as an award-winning medical reporter and effervescent anchor. She joined Local 10 in August 1993. After many years co-anchoring the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., Kristi now co-anchors the noon newscasts, giving her more time in the evening with her family.

Veteran journalist Kathleen Corso is the special projects producer for Local 10 News.