Method, system and apparatus for tracking cortical stimulator locations
A method comprises: storing, in a memory of a computing device, (i) a preoperative image of patient tissue obtained using a first imaging modality and registered to a first frame of reference, and (ii) anatomical data defining a plurality of neural tracts in the patient tissue; receiving, at a processor connected with the memory, a location in the first frame of reference for application of a cortical stimulator pad to the patient tissue; receiving, at the processor, a range of influence of the cortical stimulator pad; based on the location and the range of influence, selecting, at the processor, an intersected neural tract from the plurality of neural tracts, a portion of the intersected neural tract being located within the range of influence; and controlling, at the processor, the display to render the preoperative image, the location and the intersected neural tract according to the first frame of reference.
1. A method, comprising:
storing, in a memory of a computing device, (i) a preoperative image of patient tissue obtained using a first imaging modality and registered to a first frame of reference, and (ii) anatomical data defining a plurality of neural tracts in the patient tissue;
at a processor connected with the memory:
receiving, from a tracking system connected to the computing device, a location in the first frame of reference of a tracking marker connected to a cortical stimulator pad and detected by the tracking system responsive to application of the cortical stimulator pad to the patient tissue;
receiving a range of influence of the cortical stimulator pad;
based on the location and the range of influence, selecting an intersected neural tract from the plurality of neural tracts, a portion of the intersected neural tract being located within the range of influence; and
controlling a display connected to the processor to render the preoperative image, the location and the intersected neural tract according to the first frame of reference;
applying the tracking marker to the cortical stimulator pad; the tracking system configured to detect a first component of the tracking marker;
after applying the tracking marker, obtaining a postoperative image of the patient tissue using a second imaging modality;
detecting a second component of the tracking marker in the postoperative image; and
at the processor, registering the postoperative image to the first frame of reference based on the detected second component of the tracking marker.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the processor, an identifier of a target one of the plurality of neural tracts;
determining, at the processor, a target location on a surface of the patient tissue for placement of the cortical stimulator to intersect the targeted neural tract with the range of influence; and
controlling the display to render the target location according to the first frame of reference.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the range of influence comprises retrieving the range of influence from the memory.
4. A computing device, comprising:
a memory storing (i) a preoperative image of patient tissue obtained using a first imaging modality and registered to a first frame of reference, and (ii) anatomical data defining a plurality of neural tracts in the patient tissue;
a display; and
a processor connected to the memory and the display, the processor configured to:
receive, from a tracking system connected to the computing device, a location in the first frame of reference of a tracking marker connected to a cortical stimulator pad and detected by the tracking system responsive to application of the cortical stimulator pad to the patient tissue;
receive a range of influence of the cortical stimulator pad;
based on the location and the range of influence, select an intersected neural tract from the plurality of neural tracts, a portion of the intersected neural tract being located within the range of influence; and
control the display to render the preoperative image, the location and the intersected neural tract according to the first frame of reference;
wherein the tracking marker is applied to the cortical stimulator pad: the tracking system configured to detect a first component of the tracking marker;
the processor further configured to:
after application of the tracking marker, obtain a postoperative image of the patient tissue using a second imaging modality;
detect a second component of the tracking marker in the postoperative image; and
register the postoperative image to the first frame of reference based on the detected second component of the tracking marker.
5. The computing device of claim 4 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
receive an identifier of a target one of the plurality of neural tracts;
determine a target location on a surface of the patient tissue for placement of the cortical stimulator to intersect the targeted neural tract with the range of influence; and
control the display to render the target location according to the first frame of reference.
6. The computing device of claim 4 , wherein the range of influence is retrieved from the memory.