2D Map Displays to Support Neurosurgical Interventions

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Christian Hansen
• Subject Area: Image and Language Processing, Computer Graphics and Visualisation, Human Computer Interaction, Ubiquitous and Wearable Computing
• Term: from 2017 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 348271461

For the planning of complex surgical interventions, 3D models of relevant anatomical and pathological structures are used. Primarily, these models were developed for preoperative surgery planning. Due to the often very high geometric complexity and the associated interpretation and interaction effort for the viewer, the potential of 3D models during surgical interventions can only be exploited in a limited way.During a 12-month research stay at the Surgical Planning Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Brigham and Womens Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA, this problem shall be analyzed in more detail for neurosurgical interventions. Therefore, a new method for 2D map display for navigational support during neurosurgical interventions shall be designed, developed, and evaluated. During the concept and prototype development, potential users of this method will be involved in a user-centered development process. A close cooperation is intended with the neurosurgeons at Brigham and Womens Hospital, especially with the Neurosurgical Brain Mapping Laboratory. This concerns the analysis and definition of requirements, and the evaluation of the methods in a clinical surrounding. During the research stay, algorithms that provide classified, weighted neurosurgical data for a 2D map display shall be explored. Based on these algorithms, a prototype for the visualization of relevant neurosurgical data in the form of a 2D map display shall be created.The project results shall deliver findings about additional advantages of the new 2D illustration techniques over conventional visualization techniques. It shall be investigated which visualization parameters are adequate for precise and secure neurosurgical interventions. The findings can be used to improve visual navigation support for neurosurgical interventions and to reduce the risk of medical interventions in the future. Furthermore, the results could build an important basis for subsequent studies in the field of intraoperative visualization.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Ron Kikinis