Tactics

Tactics facilitates planning, simulation, and verification of frame-based stereotactic electrode placements for neurosurgical applications such as deep-brain stimulation (DBS) and invasive electroencephalography.

Key Features:

• Simulation of electrode placements: Performs simulation of specific electrode trajectories for frame-based stereotactic placement used in DBS and invasive electroencephalography.
• Post-operative verification (linear registration): Verifies electrode placement by linearly registering post-operative images to pre-operative imaging.
• Automated frame localization: Implements an automated algorithm for localizing stereotactic frames within imaging data.
• Electrode specification import and visualization: Supports importing user-extensible electrode specifications and visualizing individual electrode contacts and cortical entry sites.
• Quantitative validation with imaging phantom: Enables quantitative accuracy assessment using a purpose-built imaging phantom and comparison against gold-standard techniques.

Scientific Applications:

• Clinical planning and trajectory selection: Applied to planning over 300 depth-electrode targets across more than 50 surgical cases, including stereotactic biopsies.
• Multi-electrode procedures and studies: Supports procedures requiring placement of numerous electrodes, including invasive electroencephalography and treatment-resistant depression research.
• Accuracy assessment and method validation: Used for systematic validation and quantitative analysis of stereotactic targeting accuracy.

Methodology:

Simulation of electrode placements; visualization of electrode contacts and cortical entry sites; linear registration of post-operative images for verification; automated frame localization; import of electrode specifications; quantitative analysis using a purpose-built imaging phantom; systematic validation against gold-standard techniques.