Neuro-engineering for navigation, intervention and implementation in neurosurgery

 

Research

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The overall aim is to develop new knowledge, methods and techniques for radical improvement of pre-planning, navigation, intervention and follow-up in functional neurosurgery and neurology. The work is cross-disciplinary and proceeds along parallel but interactive tracks in the following areas:

Latest publications

Optical touch pointer for guided brain tumour resection. A prototype consisting of a portable system for fluorescence measurements during brain tumour resection has been set up and evaluated during surgical procedures with the overall aim to improve surgery outcome.  Data are currently compared with intra-operative ultrasound, MRI, visual inspection, as well as with cytology.

High precision optical intracerebral navigation. Fundamental aspects of light interaction with cerebral tissue is investigated and optical measurements performed during routine stereotactic DBS implantations with the aim to explore as to which extent optical signals processed to record the microcirculation and the tissue’s reflectivity can be used for high precision intracerebral navigation.

Patient specific modelling and simulation of deep brain stimulation. Software for patient specific modelling, simulation and visualization of the electric field surrounding DBS-electrodes have been developed. The simulations are perfomed on 3D finite element models of the brain originating from the clinical pre- and post operative MRI investigations. The technique is currently used for evaluation of speech intelligibility and movement related to DBS in Parkinson’s Disease.

Patient-specific modelling for brain microdialysis At Linköping University Hospital, microdialysis has been used for sampling of neuroactive substances in parallel to DBS. Finite element method (FEM) models are used to simulate the tissue volume of influence associated with microdialysis catheters placed in basal ganglia nuclei. Combining such models with pre- and postoperative MRI images for patients undergoing microdialysis in parallel to DBS allows prediction of the location and associated sampling volume of each microdialysis catheter. In this way, the obtained microdialysis data can be related to their anatomical origin, facilitating data interpretation.

Participating research groups

Karin Wårdell, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University
Marwan Hariz, Functional Neurosurgery and Neurology: Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, University College London
Marwan Hariz, Neurosurgery: University Hospital, Umeå
Jan Hillman, Neurosurgery: Linköping University Hospital
Nil Dizdar, Neurology and biochemistry: Linköping University Hospital
Stefan Andersson-Engels, Physics: Lund University Medical Laser Center

Contact

Karin Wårdell, Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University,
karin.wardell at liu.se

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Supported by

The projects are supported by Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF), Swedish Research Council (VR) and Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (Vinnova).