Functional cortical mapping and structural subcortical anatomy predicts intra-operative speech arrest: a nTMS-tractography study.

Objective: Cortical speech mapping using navigated Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (nTMS) has a variable positive predictive value (PPV) when compared with intraoperative direct electrical stimulation.

Methods: This is a single centre prospective study of all patients undergoing pre-operative nTMS and tractography (frontal aslant tract (FAT) and arcuate fasciculus (AF)) for awake surgery between October 2018 and November 2023. We reviewed operative notes for speech arrest, collected data on demographics, histopathology and pre-/post-operative language assessment.

Results: 57 patients were included (27 female, 30 male) with a mean age of 46 years. 89.5 % were right-handed. 59.6 % of patients had surgery for isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant glioma (n = 34). Intra-operative speech arrest was located at opIFG (n = 32), vPrG (n = 19), pMFG (n = 5) and mPoG (n = 1). In 87.7 % of cases (n = 50) intra-operative speech arrest was colocated with nTMS and tractography. This was statistically significant especially in tumours involving opIFG (n = 21) and improved accuracy of locating intra-operative speech arrest when compared with using nTMS or tractography alone (p < 0.01). This was also true for IDH-wildtype tumours (triple colocation n = 14, other modalities n = 6, p < 0.05).

Conclusions: Preoperative cortical-subcortical integration is paramount for the prediction of intra-operative speech arrest.

Significance: nTMS-FAT-AF trilocation is a useful tool in predicting intra-operative speech arrest.