Application of t1 and t2 maps for stereotactic deep-brain neurosurgery planning

This work presents the application of a quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique in stereotactic deep-brain neurosurgery planning procedures. The high spatial resolution T1and T2maps acquired using this imaging method have been normalized to the standard CJH-27 brain coordinate system and integrated into a neurosurgical visualization and navigation system to improve the accuracy of surgical target localization. The T1and T2maps, along with the standardized anatomical and functional information within this system, can be navigated, non-rigidly registered, and arbitrarily processed. Once applied to individual patients, these maps facilitate the delineation of surgical targets. Our preliminary studies compared the centroids of segmented deep-brain nuclei based on the T1and T2maps with those according to Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas, and with the actual surgical targets of 15 patients who had undergone thalamotomy, pallidotomy, and subthalamic nucleus deep-brain stimulation. The average displacement was 3.21mm±0.80mm, indicating the potential capability of this system to accurately initiate target identifications.