Stereotactic Neurosurgical Ultrasound System

We are developing an image guided neurosurgery workstation called the NeuroStation (TM) withthe principle objective of providing intra-operative localization information to the neurosurgeon usingdiagnostic MRI and CT images. A natural and arguably necessary extension to image-guidedneurosurgery workstations is the ability to integrate real-time ultrasound imagery into the intra-operativelocalization process. This functionality is motivated by two elements: 1) the need for the neurosurgeonto monitor intra-operative diagnostic imagery and relate these images to presurgical diagnostic imagery(MRI/CT) and localization information, and 2) the need to track the brain shift that may occur during aneurosurgical procedure and to correct presurgical diagnostic imagery to accurately reflect this brainshift. We will complete the laboratory studies and will perform the preliminary clinical studies necessaryto validate the technical and clinical feasibility of a stereotactic ultrasound system that will be integratedinto the NeuroStation . The stereotactic ultrasound system will consist of a custom-designed ultrasoundunit for stereotactic neurosurgery that will intra-operatively provide localized ultrasonography, registeredmultimodal (CT/MRI/Ultrasound) visualization, 3D ultrasound datasets. and brain-shift correction forpre-surgical CT/MRI datasets. This type of stereotactic ultrasound system will very likely become astandard accessory for image-guided neurosurgical systems.