Using 3D-Printed Mesh-Like Brain Cortex with Deep Structures for Planning Intracranial EEG Electrode Placement.

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Medical Imaging
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Medically refractory epilepsy often requires intracranial electrode implantation for seizure focus localization.
• Accurate knowledge of brain anatomy is essential for successful electrode placement planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel 3D printing method for creating patient-specific brain models.
• To enable simulation of intracranial electrode placement for surgical planning.

Main Methods:

• Utilized DICOM MRI data for segmentation of brain parenchyma.
• Employed Materialise Mimics and 3-matic software for model creation, incorporating deep brain structures.
• 3D printed the cerebral hemisphere model using selective laser sintering with nylon material.

Main Results:

• The 3D-printed model accurately depicted surface and deep brain structures.
• The model allowed for repeated insertion of depth electrodes without damage.
• The technique proved to be low-cost, light, and durable.

Conclusions:

• This novel 3D-printed brain model facilitates visualization of both superficial and deep brain anatomy.
• It enables realistic simulation of intracranial electrode placement and needle insertions.
• This technique offers a valuable tool for interdisciplinary preprocedural planning in neurosurgery.