Doctors Perform LI's 1st Surgery Removing 'Glowing' Brain Tumor

Just when you thought you've seen it all as a Long Islander, Northwell performs another first.

Neurosurgeons at North Shore University Hospital removed a glioblastoma brain tumor using a new imaging tool that transforms the way diseased cells are targeted - the first surgery of its kind on Long Island.

The procedure to remove the glioblastoma in Robert Mosley, 83, of Queens Village, NY, was performed by Dr. Michael Schulder, director, Northwell Health’s Brain Tumor Center and vice chair of neurosurgery at NSUH and Long Island Jewish Medical Center.

“One of the challenges in brain tumor removal is knowing where the cancer cells end, and the healthy tissue begins,” said Dr. Schulder. “Gleolan is another imaging tool we can now use in the fight against brain tumors. The illuminated colors provide a more precise map of the tumor itself, so we can remove as much of the cancerous cells as possible, while preserving healthy brain tissue. For patients with gliomas in particular, Gleolan offers real time, high resolution delineation of malignant tissue during the surgery.”

According to Northwell, "Gleolan is an optical imaging agent – or dye – that illuminates a tumor as bright pink hue against a blue background of healthy brain cells. 'Glowing' cancer cells makes it easier for neurosurgeons to remove as much of the tumor as possible without affecting the normal brain tissue."