Mini Review: Impedance Measurement in Neuroscience and Its Prospective Application in the Field of Surgical Neurooncology

Abstract

Impedance measurement of human tissue can be performed either in vivo or ex vivo. The majority of the in-vivo approaches are non-invasive, and few are invasive. To date, there is no gold standard for impedance measurement of intracranial tissue. In addition, most of the techniques addressing this topic are still experimental and have not found their way into clinical practice. This review covers available impedance measurement approaches in the neuroscience in general and specifically addresses recent advances made in the application of impedance measurement in the field of surgical neurooncology. It will provide an understandable picture on impedance measurement and give an overview of limitations that currently hinders clinical application and require future technical and conceptual solutions.

Keywords: brain tumors; glioma; impedance; resistivity; surgery.

Figure 1

Illustration of a glioma with the assumed correlation between increasing tumor malignancy and decreasing electrical resistivities of the tumor tissue in comparison to surrounding white matter. Braun color represents necrotic tumor area with the lowest resistivity value (4 Ω^*m) followed by contrast enhancing tumor area in beige (5 Ω^*m), low grade part in yellow (6 Ω^*m), edema in red (9 Ω^*m) and white matter outside the edema in white (13 Ω^*m). For reference, please see the text.