Value of serial stereotactic biopsies and impedance monitoring in the treatment of deep brain tumours

Thirty-five patients with deep brain tumours have been submitted to trans-tumoral stereotactic impedance monitoring and serial biopsy. The direct examination of the biopsy samples confirmed the presumptive clinical and neuroradiological diagnosis in 25 patients, but in 10 patients the histological diagnosis differed from the presumptive one. In this second group the treatment was changed as a result of the histological findings. Stereotactic biopsy avoided the risks of 'blind' management. The technique, the indications and the diagnostic advantages of stereotactic biopsy are reported with two illustrative cases.