Scientists in France have developed a way of creating computer models of the brains of epileptic patients in order to prepare surgeons for interventional procedures. The large scale models of the brain’s networks are derived from MRI scans of individual patients and may one day be used to identify which interventions and surgical approaches would be the best choice.
The team created the initial so-called Virtual Epileptic Patient (VEP) brain model based on a person with bitemporal epilepsy. A supercomputer was used to confirm the model against stereotactic EEG from the same patient, and to provide potential guidance on how to address this specific case.
From the study abstract in journal NeuroImage:
Individual variability has clear effects upon the outcome of therapies and treatment approaches. The customization of healthcare options to the individual patient should accordingly improve treatment results. We propose a novel approach to brain interventions based on personalized brain network models derived from non-invasive structural data of individual patients. Along the example of a patient with bitemporal epilepsy, we show step by step how to develop a Virtual Epileptic Patient (VEP) brain model and integrate patient-specific information such as brain connectivity, epileptogenic zone and MRI lesions.
Study in NeuroImage: The Virtual Epileptic Patient: Individualized whole-brain models of epilepsy spread…
Via: CNRS…
