Objective To investigate the application of electromagnetic neuronavigation in minimally invasive meningioma surgery.Methods A retrospective study was performed among 37 patients with meningiomas who received image-guided surgery with the assistance of Compass Cygnus PFS electromagnetic neuronavigation in our department between January 2010 and June 2013. Thirteen of all patients were diagnosed with convexity, parasagittal, or falcine meningiomas with tumor diameters equal to or less than 2.5 cm. Straight incision (dia. 5~7 cm) was performed according to the projection of neoplasms on the body surface, with the assistance of electromagnetic neuronavigation, leaving bone flaps only 4~5 cm in diameter. Twenty-one cases were diagnosed with convexity, parasagittal, or falcine meningiomas with tumor diameters exceeding 2.5 cm and/or with longer dura tail signs, who received curved or horseshoe incision according to the projection of tumor or the margins of dura tail signs on the scalp, leaving bone flaps 5~8 cm in diameter. Among three cases of intraventricular meningiomas, the operative route was decided according to the relationship between neoplasms and surrounding functional areas.Results Of all 37 patients, it took 9 to 22 minutes (average 12±4.7 minutes) from image registration to labeling of tumor location. Error of image registration was between 0.62 to 2.0 mm (average 1.44±0.4 mm). Twenty-nine patients received Simpson grade I resection, and 8 patients with parasagittal meningiomas received Simpson grade II resection. All patients recovered uneventfully, except for one patient who developed intraventricular hemorrhage and fully recovered after being treated by external ventricular drainage.Conclusions Minimally invasive meningioma surgery aided by electromagnetic neuronavigation has many merits including short operative time, accurate localization, small skin incision, minimal surgical trauma, high rate of total resection, and few complications.