IntrAnat Electrodes: A Free Database and Visualization Software for Intracranial Electroencephalographic Data...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Computational Biology

Background:

• Intracranial recordings like electrocorticography (ECoG) and stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) are crucial for localizing seizure onset zones and eloquent cortex in pharmaco-resistant epilepsies.
• Current SEEG spatial coverage is limited and patient-specific, necessitating large patient cohorts for group studies, often achieved through multicentric approaches.
• Analyzing and integrating multimodal data from SEEG, including functional and anatomical imaging, presents significant challenges for group-level research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present the IntrAnat Electrodes software for virtual SEEG electrode implantation and multimodal data integration.
• To facilitate group studies in epilepsy research by enabling standardized analysis of patient-specific SEEG data.
• To enhance the visualization and searchability of complex neuroanatomical and functional data from SEEG recordings.

Main Methods:

• Development of the IntrAnat Electrodes software, integrating patient neuroanatomy with virtual electrode implantation.
• Coregistration of multiple imaging modalities including PET, anatomical MRI (pre/post-implantation, post-resection), fMRI, dMRI, and CT.
• Segmentation and spatial normalization of pre-implantation MRI to create cortical parcels, followed by 3D electrode model placement and contact labeling based on anatomical atlases and tissue types.

Main Results:

• The IntrAnat Electrodes software allows virtual implantation of SEEG electrodes and visualization of multimodal data (epileptic/functional mapping, resection masks).
• Each electrode contact can be labeled with anatomical location, tissue class, and functional information (e.g., clinical response, epileptogenicity).
• A patient database with multiple search criteria enables efficient retrieval of features across diverse patient data, a unique capability in current SEEG software.

Conclusions:

• IntrAnat Electrodes software provides a comprehensive platform for visualizing and analyzing complex SEEG data, facilitating advanced group studies in epilepsy.
• The software's database search functionality significantly enhances the ability to explore patient cohorts based on detailed anatomical and functional criteria.
• This tool is expected to advance research in pharmaco-resistant epilepsies by improving the integration and analysis of patient-specific intracranial recordings.