Abstract
Diffuse low-grade gliomas are infiltrative tumors whose margins are not distinguishable from the adjacent healthy brain parenchyma. The aim was to precisely examine the results provided by the intraoperative use of macroscopic fluorescence in diffuse low-grade gliomas and to describe the new fluorescence-based techniques capable of guiding the resection of low-grade gliomas. Only about 20% and 50% of low-grade gliomas are macroscopically fluorescent after 5-amino-levulinic acid (5-ALA) or fluorescein sodium intake, respectively. However, 5-ALA is helpful for detecting anaplastic foci, and thus choosing the best biopsy targets in diffuse gliomas. Spectroscopic detection of 5-ALA-induced fluorescence can detect very low and non-macroscopically visible concentrations of protoporphyrin IX, a 5-ALA metabolite, and, consequently, has excellent performances for the detection of low-grade gliomas. Moreover, these tumors have a specific spectroscopic signature with two fluorescence emission peaks, which is useful for distinguishing them not only from healthy brain but also from high-grade gliomas. Confocal laser endomicroscopy can generate intraoperative optic biopsies, but its sensitivity remains limited. In the future, the coupled measurement of autofluorescence and induced fluorescence, and the introduction of fluorescence detection technologies providing a wider field of view could result in the development of operator-friendly tools implementable in the operative routine.