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Introduction. The surgical stage takes an important place in the complex treatment of patients with cerebral metastases of malignant tumors. In general, all efforts during surgical intervention should be aimed at restoring a good functional status, since severe neurological symptoms can deprive patients of the opportunity to continue complex treatment, which will negatively affect overall survival. The most pronounced neurological symptoms are observed in patients with metastases in the motor area. In this article, we tried to substantiate the need for surgery of cerebral metastases in patients with severe motor deficits, evaluate the results of surgical treatment and also to develop optimal surgical removal techniques.The study object – to assess the effectiveness of surgical removal of metastases in the motor cortex by evaluating the dynamics of motor function recovery and regression of paroxysmal symptoms.Materials and methods. An analysis of the surgical treatment of 18 patients with metastases in the motor area was carried out. Tumor localization was verified using magnetic resonance imaging, before surgery, neuronavigation system Brainlab during surgery. Мagnetic resonance tractography made it possible to assess the localization and degree of compression of the fibers of the cortico-spinal tract. Functional monitoring was not performed during the operation. The operations were performed using a ZEISS OPMI PENTERO 800 microscope.Results. Recovery of motor function after surgery was noted in 17 (94.5 %) cases. It was complete or partial. With metastases of a solid, solid-necrotic, solid-cystic structure, regression of pyramidal symptoms developed gradually, starting from 4 days after surgery. As a rule, rehabilitation therapy (therapeutic exercise, massage, electromyostimulation) is carried out on patients from 3 days after surgery, which accelerated the recovery process. The maximum effect developed on the 15th day after the operation. Faster recovery of motor function was observed in patients with large cystic metastases who underwent surgery in the volume of Ommaya reservoir implantation. They began to recover motor function a few hours after awakening. Regression of paroxysmal symptoms was noted in all cases. Although the patients continued to take anticonvulsants. The observation period was 6 months.Сonclusion. Surgical removal of cerebral metastases in the motor area allows achieving complete or partial regression of neurological symptoms. At the same time, the recovery period is short – from several hours to 14 days. It becomes possible to cancel glucocorticoids 7–10 days after the operation. Conditions are being created for the continuation of complex treatment of patients previously considered incurable.

The study objective is to assess the possibilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in SWI (susceptibility weighted imaging) in the differential diagnosis of glial brain tumors and primary brain lymphomas. Materials and methods. Fifty-four patients with brain tumors were studied (men – 27 (50 %), women – 27 (50 %)). Average age 57.9 years. Histological examination of the surgical material revealed the glial nature of tumors in 41 patients (26 of them with glioblastoma, anaplastic astrocytomas – 15), primary brain lymphomas – in 13 patients. Brain MRI was performed using tomographs with a magnetic field of 3 and 1.5 T. A semi-quantitative assessment of the data obtained in the SWI mode based on the classification of ITSS (intratumoral susceptibility signals), reflecting the severity of interstitial vascular architectonics and microbleeding. Results. The degree of ITSS was 3 in glioblastomas (G4 ) in 26 (100 %) cases, in the structure of gliomas (G3 ) the ITSS values were 3 in 3 (20 %) cases, in the remaining 12 (80 %) cases – ITSS 2. In the group of primary brain lymphomas, the ITSS 1 was in 4 (30.7 %) cases, ITSS 0 was in 9 (69.3 %) cases. Conclusion. MRI in SWI mode is a promising technique that allows one to quantify the degree of pathological changes in tumor vascular architectonics and intratumoral hemorrhages and has shown high specificity in the differential diagnosis of malignant gliomas and lymphomas of the brain, accompanied by active accumulation of contrast medium.

The study objective is to evaluate the diagnostic capabilities of complex method based on the use of 18 F-fluoroethyltyrozine positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (CT) and CT perfusion in the differential diagnosis of glial brain tumors.Materials and methods. One hundred and two patients with glial brain tumors were included in the study. Depending on the degree of malignancy patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1–38 (37.26 %) patients with grade I–II tumors; group 2–64 (62.74 %) patients with grade III–IV tumors. Perfusion CT was performed in 20 (52.6 %) patients from the group with grade I–II tumors and 37 (57.8 %) patients from the group with grade III–IV gliomas. The sensitivity and specificity of such indicators as the maximum standardized uptake value (maxSUV) and the tumor to brain ratio (TBR), in combination with CT perfusion indicators (cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), vascular permeability (FED) were studied.Results. The highest diagnostic accuracy was demonstrated by the following parameters: maxSUV 1 (sensitivity and specificity 81 and 82 %, threshold value 2.51, AUC 0.87); TBR 1 (sensitivity and specificity 90.6 and 81.6 %, threshold value 2.07, AUC 0.89). The comprehensive evaluation of CT perfusion and 18 F-fluoroethyltyrozine PET / CT parameters: sensitivity and specificity of TBR 1 + CBF – 97.1 and 94.4 %, respectively; TBR 1 + CBV – 96.6 and 94.4 %, respectively; TBR 1 + FED – 94.6 and 92.3 %, respectively.Conclusion. According to results of obtained analysis, an increase in diagnostic accuracy was revealed for all studied parameters with complex use of two methods – 18 F-fluoroethyltyrozine PET / CT and CT perfusion, in differential diagnosis of glial brain tumors.

Modern advances in oncology can achieve significantly better results in terms of life expectancy in patients with metastatic brain disease. The combination of surgery, systemic therapy, whole brain irradiation and local methods of radiation therapy lead to good indicators for controlling the manifestations of the disease in the brain. Of course, intensification of treatment increases the risk of iatrogenic complications. The use of aggressive stereotactic radiotherapy regimens leads not only to high local control of irradiated metastases, but also to the risk of so-called radiation necrosis. The use of the most up-to-date diagnostic methods does not always allow one to unequivocally differentiate radiation necrosis from continued metastasis growth. The above example shows the need for a careful assessment of such situations and a multidisciplinary approach to interpreting the results of stereotactic radiotherapy.