Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that automatically determine whether a prospective surgical trajectory will collide with a patient's skull using a 3D representation of the patient's cranial region (including the patient's scalp, skull, and brain) adapted from imaging data of the patient's cranial region (e.g., MRI data or CT data). Taking a particular patient's varied skull thickness into account, examples can determine bone collision during a trajectory planning stage before or after a stereotactic frame is mounted to the patient. Accordingly, examples may preemptively alert a clinician to a potential bone collision before the prospective surgical trajectory is underway/has been executed, thereby reducing the risk of bone collision during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide automated systems for accurately estimating infusion coverage within a target brain region in real-time (or approximately real-time) during surgical procedures. Such accurate and real-time infusion coverage estimation enables intraoperative monitoring and adjustment of infusion parameters (e.g., cannula tip location, infusate delivery flow rate, etc.) for achieving optimal/improved infusion coverage for a given drug therapy. Accordingly, examples of the presently disclosed technology can improve the efficacy and safety of drug therapies delivered to the brain.

Abstract: A closed-loop infusion system includes a therapeutic delivery system configured to deliver a therapeutic to a patient and an imaging system configured to obtain an image of the target location. A computer processor is communicatively coupled to the therapeutic delivery system and the imaging system, wherein the computer processor is configured to control delivery of the therapeutic to the patient based on data from the imaging system.

Abstract: Examples of the presently disclosed technology provide new systems and methods for real-time temperature propagation and tissue damage visualization during laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) procedures that do not rely on real-time MR imaging. Accordingly, examples enable performance of LITT procedures in regular operating rooms lacking MR-equipment—thereby reducing costs and improving availability for LITT procedures. Examples achieve these advantages by leveraging “discretized” patient-specific 3D brain structure representations to perform numerical methods for solving partial differential equations that estimate real-time (or close to real-time) temperature propagation within a patient's brain during a LITT procedure.

Abstract: Examples of the presently disclosed technology provide new systems and methods for automatically determining referential anatomical landmarks in patient scan coordinate spaces using a shape-constrained deformable brain model. The shape-constrained deformable brain model may comprise a computerized 3D representation of a non-patient-specific human brain that: (1) is symmetric about its mid-sagittal plane; and (2) preserves vertex-based correspondences-including mid-sagittal plane symmetry-during adaption to patient scans. Leveraging these unique features of the shape-constrained deformable brain model (i.e., mid-sagittal plane symmetry and preservation of vertex-based correspondences during adaption), examples can transform known/previously identified referential anatomical landmark coordinates in the shape-constrained deformable brain model coordinate space to a wide array of patient scan coordinate spaces (i.e.

Abstract: Examples of the presently disclosed technology provide new systems and methods for performing direct targeting for DBS procedures (and other related procedures) using a single pre-operative scan of a patient's brain. Examples can achieve this single-scan direct targeting by leveraging mesh vertex-based correspondences between patient-specific 3D mesh brain structure representations across prospective and historical DBS procedures. Examples can leverage such correspondences to accurately predict DBS lead placement coordinates for a prospective DBS procedure based on historical DBS lead placement coordinates from the historical DBS procedures. Accordingly, a clinician performing the prospective DBS procedure can utilize the predicted DBS lead placement coordinates for surgical planning purposes.

Abstract: Examples of the presently disclosed technology provide systems and methods for improved image registration for image-guided brain interventions. The disclosed systems and methods use sparse surface-based correspondences between vertices of patient-specific 3D mesh representations to fit a non-rigid transformation function for estimating a deformation field that maps one cranial image (e.g., a source image used for surgical trajectory planning) to another cranial image (e.g., a reference image obtained during an image-guided brain intervention).

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a neurosurgeon with real-time feedback on safety of prospective surgical trajectories, which can simultaneously reduce surgical intervention times and improve patient safety. Examples can determine a level of safety for a prospective surgical trajectory by determining a number of times that a prospective surgical trajectory representation (e.g., a 1D line representing a prospective surgical trajectory) intersects (a) a patient-specific 3D cortical surface representation (i.e., a 3D representation representing an exterior surface of the patient's brain cortex); and (b) one or more patient-specific 3D hazard brain region representations (e.g., 3D representations representing hazard brain regions of the patient to be avoided during surgery).

Abstract: Systems and methods provide automated systems for accurately estimating infusion coverage within a target brain region in real-time (or approximately real-time) during surgical procedures. Such accurate and real-time infusion coverage estimation enables intraoperative monitoring and adjustment of infusion parameters (e.g., cannula tip location, infusate delivery flow rate, etc.) for achieving optimal/improved infusion coverage for a given drug therapy. Accordingly, examples of the presently disclosed technology can improve the efficacy and safety of drug therapies delivered to the brain.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided that automatically determine whether a prospective surgical trajectory will collide with a patient's skull using a 3D representation of the patient's cranial region (including the patient's scalp, skull, and brain) adapted from imaging data of the patient's cranial region (e.g., MRI data or CT data). Taking a particular patient's varied skull thickness into account, examples can determine bone collision during a trajectory planning stage before or after a stereotactic frame is mounted to the patient. Accordingly, examples may preemptively alert a clinician to a potential bone collision before the prospective surgical trajectory is underway/has been executed, thereby reducing the risk of bone collision during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for determining surgical trajectories (including target points and entry points) for delivering therapy to a patient's brain using a three-dimensional (3D) representation of the patient's brain (including the patient's scalp, skull, and brain) adapted from imaging data (e.g., MRI data, CT data, etc.) of the patient's brain.

Abstract: When quantifying neo-vasculature growth measured using a CT scanner (10), a known blood voxel is identified and adjoining voxels are compared thereto by a quantifier (52) to determine whether they are blood voxels, in order to grow a 3D image of the blood vessels. A removable Hounsfield calibration phantom (56) is positioned in a subject support (12) and concurrently scanned with the subject during each scan, and a Hounsfield unit calibrator (54) automatically calibrates acquired CT data to the phantom. A transport system comprising a plurality of movement-arresting locations facilitates cheaply and repeatably locking a CT detector (20), in six degrees of movement, at a plurality of locations in the scanner gantry.

Abstract: A multimodal fiducial marker (10) for registration of data is disclosed. The multimodal fiducial marker (10) generally comprises a first portion (12) made from at least one radiopaque material and a second portion (14) made from a porous material capable of absorbing at least one radioactive material. The second portion (14) at least partially surrounds the first portion (12).

Abstract: Investigation of in vivo models of disease requires imaging studies involving single subjects in single imaging sessions, serial imaging of individuals or groups of subjects, and integration of data across diverse and heterogeneous experimental methodologies. Each type of experiment is preferably supported by various feature sets that can be rigorously applied to produce quantitative, reproducible results. Current imaging scanners are not equipped with standardized capability that supports an automated and scientifically rigorous workflow suited to hypothesis testing. An imaging system includes a research workstation at which a user can design, execute, study, and report imaging plans. Flexibility that comes along with a modular design of the system allows the user to customize workflow parameters for more robust hypothesis testing.

Abstract: In a small animal imaging system (10) at least one modality (12) and a docking station (36) are provided. The docking station (36) provides a workspace (47) and docking ports (48) for preparation and holding of anesthetized animals that are awaiting imaging. For the duplication of positions, a subject mold (26) is provided that holds the subject in a reproducible position on a subject bed (16). Vital signs monitoring is also provided for subjects awaiting scans. The bed (16) includes fiducials (28) to aid in registration of like modality images and different modality images. A capsule (14) can encapsulate a single bed (16), or for tandem imaging, the capsule can encapsulate multiple-bed configurations, such as two, three, or four beds (16). For better positioning and ease of user access, a positioner (34) positions the capsule (14) from the rear of the modality (12).

Abstract: An angiographic image processing system includes a filtering module (40) configured to filter an angiographic image based on blood vessel diameter (46) to identify neovasculature having small blood vessel diameter, and a display sub-system (32, 70) configured to display the angiographic image with the identified neovasculature. A neovasculature density computation module (72) is configured to compute density of the neovasculature identified by the filtering module (40).

Abstract: An angiographic image processing system includes a filtering module (40) configured to filter an angiographic image based on blood vessel diameter (46) to identify neovasculature having small blood vessel diameter, and a display sub-system (32, 70) configured to display the angiographic image with the identified neovasculature. A neovasculature density computation module (72) is configured to compute density of the neovasculature identified by the filtering module (40).

Abstract: A multimodal fiducial marker (10) for registration of data is disclosed. The multimodal fiducial marker (10) generally comprises a first portion (12) made from at least one radiopaque material and a second portion (14) made from a porous material capable of absorbing at least one radioactive material. The second portion (14) at least partially surrounds the first portion (12).

Abstract: When quantifying neo-vasculature growth measured using a CT scanner (10), a known blood voxel is identified and adjoining voxels are compared thereto by a quantifier (52) to determine whether they are blood voxels, in order to grow a 3D image of the blood vessels. A removable Hounsfield calibration phantom (56) is positioned in a subject support (12) and concurrently scanned with the subject during each scan, and a Hounsfield unit calibrator (54) automatically calibrates acquired CT data to the phantom. A transport system comprising a plurality of movement-arresting locations facilitates cheaply and repeatably locking a CT detector (20), in six degrees of movement, at a plurality of locations in the scanner gantry.

Abstract: In a small animal imaging system (10) at least one modality (12) and a docking station (36) are provided. The docking station (36) provides a workspace (47) and docking ports (48) for preparation and holding of anesthetized animals that are awaiting imaging. For the duplication of positions, a subject mold (26) is provided that holds the subject in a reproducible position on a subject bed (16). Vital signs monitoring is also provided for subjects awaiting scans. The bed (16) includes fiducials (28) to aid in registration of like modality images and different modality images. A capsule (14) can encapsulate a single bed (16), or for tandem imaging, the capsule can encapsulate multiple-bed configurations, such as two, three, or four beds (16). For better positioning and ease of user access, a positioner (34) positions the capsule (14) from the rear of the modality (12).