Andres Barragan1, Chet Preston2, Alex Alvarez2, Tushar Bera3, Yexian Qin4, Martin Weinand5, Willard Kasoff5, Russell S Witte1,2,5,6. 1. Department of Medical Imaging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States of America. 2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, United States of America. 3. Department of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, WB, India. 4. Leonardo Electronics US Inc., Tucson, AZ, United States of America. 5. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, United States of America. 6. Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study employs a human head model with real skull to demonstrate the feasibility of transcranial acoustoelectric brain imaging (tABI) as a new modality for electrical mapping of deep dipole sources during treatment of epilepsy with much better resolution and accuracy than conventional mapping methods. APPROACH: This technique exploits an interaction between a focused ultrasound (US) beam and tissue resistivity to localize current source densities as deep as 63 mm at high spatial resolution (1 to 4 mm) and resolve fast time-varying currents with sub-ms precision. MAIN RESULTS: Detection thresholds through a thick segment of the human skull at biologically safe US intensities was below 0.5 mA and within range of strong currents generated by the human brain. SIGNIFICANCE: This work suggests that 4D tABI may emerge as a revolutionary modality for real-time high-resolution mapping of neuronal currents for the purpose of monitoring, staging, and guiding treatment of epilepsy and other brain disorders characterized by abnormal rhythms.
OBJECTIVE: This study employs a human head model with real skull to demonstrate the feasibility of transcranial acoustoelectric brain imaging (tABI) as a new modality for electrical mapping of deep dipole sources during treatment of epilepsy with much better resolution and accuracy than conventional mapping methods. APPROACH: This technique exploits an interaction between a focused ultrasound (US) beam and tissue resistivity to localize current source densities as deep as 63 mm at high spatial resolution (1 to 4 mm) and resolve fast time-varying currents with sub-ms precision. MAIN RESULTS: Detection thresholds through a thick segment of the human skull at biologically safe US intensities was below 0.5 mA and within range of strong currents generated by the human brain. SIGNIFICANCE: This work suggests that 4D tABI may emerge as a revolutionary modality for real-time high-resolution mapping of neuronal currents for the purpose of monitoring, staging, and guiding treatment of epilepsy and other brain disorders characterized by abnormal rhythms.
Authors: Arjen Stolk; Sandon Griffin; Roemer van der Meij; Callum Dewar; Ignacio Saez; Jack J Lin; Giovanni Piantoni; Jan-Mathijs Schoffelen; Robert T Knight; Robert Oostenveld Journal: Nat Protoc Date: 2018-07 Impact factor: 13.491