Edema-Invariant Tractography for Surgical Planning

The technology provides tractography methods, devices, and software that reconstruct brain fiber pathways despite edema using multishell diffusion imaging and multi-compartment modeling.
Problem:
Surgical planning depends on accurate visualization of white matter pathways near lesions. Edema lowers anisotropy and can obscure underlying fiber bundles. Existing tractography tools can fail in edematous or crossing-fiber regions. These tools can also be complex, variable, and difficult to assess immediately.
Solution:
The technology acquires multishell diffusion imaging data with sensitivity to free water diffusion. It models the data with a multi-compartment approach that includes a free water compartment. It then reconstructs fibers using probabilistic tracking with a fiber orientation distribution. This approach provides fiber tracking in either the presence or absence of free water.
Technology:
The technology includes methods, an electronic device, and a computer program product. Some embodiments use a 3-shell sequence with specified b-values and gradient directions. The multi-compartment model includes free water correction and anisotropic diffusion modeling around axons. The outputs can identify tracts in edematous brains and produce fiber tract visualizations.
Advantages:

• Tracks fibers in the presence or absence of free water
• Corrects for edema using a free water compartment
• Supports tract identification in edematous and peritumoral brain regions
• Includes method, device, and software product embodiments

Applications:

• Surgical Planning: The technology can identify white matter tracts near brain lesions during diffusion-based surgical planning.
• Peritumoral Tract Analysis: The technology can analyze tracts in brain regions affected by tumors and surrounding edema.
• Neuroimaging Software: The technology can be implemented as a computer program product for tract reconstruction.
• Tractography Devices: The technology can be deployed in electronic devices that acquire, model, and reconstruct diffusion imaging data.

Intellectual Property:

• US 10,481,233

Stage of Development:

• Proof of Concept

Desired Partnerships:

• Licensing

Reference Media:

• Lecoeur, J et al.; MICCAI 2014 DTI Tractography Challenge, Sep 2014, Boston, United States.

Schematic of the surgical planning tool methodology.
Docket: 15-7235