The Neurosurgery Department at Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai, has procured a state-of-the-art intraoperative Ultrasound (iUS) machine for performing complex brain tumour surgeries. The bKActiv machine is the first of its kind in the country.

The neurosurgery team at TMC, led by Dr Aliasgar Moiyadi, one of the leading teams across the world, has pioneered the application of iUS in India, Department of Atomic Energy informed.

Intraoperative imaging is crucial for safely and accurately removing intrinsic brain tumours. Combined with navigational aids (which is like a surgical GPS system), the iUS machine allows neurosurgeons to precisely track tumour remnants. Further, when combined with brain mapping techniques like awake surgery, they enable removal of tumours radically, even near critical functioning brain regions.

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Dr. Moiyadi believes this advanced tool is likely to help his team and benefit the large number of brain tumour patients operated at the centre, many of whom are unable to access state-of-the-art care at subsidized rates elsewhere.

iUS, being less costly than other intraoperative imaging systems (like intraoperative MRI), is particularly beneficial for resource constrained healthcare systems like in India.