Full neurosurgical procedures may be performed in the weak fringe fields surrounding an MRI system, using standard operating room equipment. This approach to iMR-guided neurosurgery offers a significant cost advantage over retrofitting an entire operative suite with "MRI-compatible" surgical equipment. The surgeon's familiarity with standard equipment and the reliability of the equipment are additional advantages. Neurosurgery in the fringe fields allows the neurosurgeon to utilize serial MRI with a minimum of inconvenience, disruption, and change to the standard neurosurgical procedure. Serial intraoperative imaging to visualize the changes in the brain that are associated with neurosurgical intervention seems to enhance the ability to safely and effectively accomplish neurosurgical goals.

For its new acute care hospital, the University of California at Los Angeles is evaluating innovative technology involving high-resolution flat panel display devices configured as "network appliances" that can be wall mounted for use in the retrieval and display of medical images and data. Physicians and healthcare providers can log on with wireless handheld computers, which can serve as an identification device as well as a navigational tool for selecting patient records and data. These data are displayed and manipulated on the flat panel display without the need for a keyboard or mouse. A prototype was developed with commercially available image display software, which was modified to allow the remote control of software functions from a handheld device through an infrared communication port. The system also allows navigation through the patient data in a World Wide Web-based electronic patient record. This prototype illustrates the evolution of radiologic facilities toward "shareable" high-quality display devices that allow more convenient and cost-effective access to medical images and related data in complex clinical environments, resulting in a paradigm shift in data navigation and accessibility.

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