News & Media

Gates Vascular Institute the First in New York State and Northeast to Successfully Perform Surgery Using BrightMatter™ Technology

Updated: 7/12/2016

The Gates Vascular Institute (GVI) announced today that it is the first hospital in New York State and in the Northeast region to successfully use Synaptive Medical’s BrightMatter™ Technology to remove a brain tumor. The state-of-the-art technology fuses high definition imaging, information and visualization of critical structures in the brain to support clinical decisions.

Elad Levy, MD, MBA, FAHA, medical director for neuroendovascular services at the GVI, co-director of Kaleida Health’s Stroke Center and chairman of neurosurgery at State University of New York at Buffalo, in conjunction with a multidisciplinary team of specialists, successfully removed a high grade brain tumor using the DTI software to map the tumor’s motor fibers and outline the resection boundary. The BrightMatter™ Technology provides visualization of the brain surface, which is then overlapped on the location of the tumor, allowing for a safer retrieval route with fewer potential complications. The technology also allows for images of the physiology and brain function, something traditional MRI images do not show.

"This technology allows surgeons to better identify eloquent brain pathways, in turn helping surgeons find the safest routes to remove brain lesions," said Dr. Levy. “This is especially useful for tumors located in areas of the brain that control motor and speech functions.”

This is a collaborative effort by the GVI and surgeons affiliated with the University at Buffalo Neurosurgery (UBNS) and the Jacobs Institute (JI) to provide patients with the latest imaging technology.