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Ganau et al. Real-time intraoperative ultrasound in brain surgery qims.amegroups.com Ganau et al. Real-time intraoperative ultrasound in brain surgery

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The advancements in basic sciences and the availability of sophisticated technological aids to surgical removal of gliomas have led over the last few years to the rise of innovative surgical strategies, the identification of better prognostic/predictive biomolecular factors, and the development of novel drugs and all are meant to profoundly impact the outcome of patients diagnosed with these aggressive tumours. Unfortunately, the treatment protocols available nowadays still confer only a small survival advantage at a potentially high cost in terms of overall well-being. In this review we identified the potential and limits of the most promising research trends in the management of glioma patients, also highlighting the related externalities. Finally, we focused our attention on the imbalance between the technical and behavioral aspects pertinent to this research area, which ultimately represent the two sides of the same coin.

The pace of advancement of genomics and proteomics together with the recent understanding of the molecular basis behind rare diseases could lead in the near future to significant advances in the diagnosing and treating of many pathological conditions. Innovative diagnostic platforms based on biomedical engineering (microdialysis and proteomics, biochip analysis, non-invasive impedance spectroscopy, etc.) are introduced at a rapid speed in clinical practice: this article primarily aims to highlight how such platforms will advance our understanding of the pathological basis of neurological diseases. An overview of the clinical challenges and regulatory hurdles facing the introduction of such platforms in clinical practice, as well as their potential impact on patient management, will complement the discussion on foreseeable theranostic perspectives. Indeed, the techniques outlined in this article are revolutionizing how we (1) identify biomarkers that better define the diagnostic criteria of any given disease, (2) develop research models, and (3) exploit the externalities coming from innovative pharmacological protocols (i.e., those based on monoclonal antibodies, nanodrugs, etc.) meant to tackle the molecular cascade so far identified.