METHODS: A systematic literature search of brain tumours in the context of fMRI methods applied to pre-operative mapping for language functional areas was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus electronic database following PRISMA guidelines. The article search was conducted between the earliest record and March 1, 2019. References and citations were checked in Google Scholar database.

RESULTS: Twenty-nine independent studies were identified, comprising 1031 adult participants with 976 patients characterised with different types and sizes of brain tumours, and the remaining 55 being healthy controls. These studies evaluated functional language areas in patients with brain tumours prior to surgical interventions using language-based fMRI. Results demonstrated that 86% of the studies used a Word Generation Task (WGT) to evoke functional language areas during pre-operative mapping. Fifty-seven percent of the studies that used language-based paradigms in conjunction with fMRI as a pre-operative mapping tool were in agreement with intra-operative results of language localization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was done on 50 patients with proven CNS fungal infections. Fungal type was determined and grouped according to microbial classifications into four subtypes: hyalohyphomycetes, mucorales, yeasts and dematiaceous molds. MR findings were compared with histopathology/microbiology and associations between fungal groups were sought.