New iPlan® Supports Navigated Brain Stimulation Results

Using NBS data with iPlan offers surgeons new ways to plan complex neurosurgical procedures for central region tumors.

A clinical study, ‘White matter tractography based on Navigated Brain Stimulation results in Brainlab iPlan,’ recently published by neurosurgeons at the Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin describes combined and successful use of NBS and iPlan® FiberTracking.

After mapping critical motor areas on the cortex around the tumor with the NBS system, mapping data is further utilized as DICOM images exported to a Brainlab iPlan planning station. With the iPlan software, NBS maps are used to define “regions of interest,” serving as seed areas for tracking of critical nerve fibers within the white brain matter.  NBS and iPlan allow for a seamless clinical workflow, showing that non-invasive NBS motor mapping data can easily facilitate white matter tractography.

In the study, neurosurgeons Prof. Dr. P. Vajkoczy and Dr. T. Picht concluded, ‘NBS has the potential to add significant new functionality to the Brainlab iPlan system for planning surgical trajectories that can help preserve critical subcortical motor pathways, as well as cortical motor areas, during tumor resection.’

Additionally, ‘Using DICOM export of NBS motor mapping data to the iPlan system to select seed areas could potentially remove a key obstacle to the wider clinical application of Diffusion Tensor Imaging and tractography.’

The data compatibility between Brainlab and Nexstim allows surgeons to leverage the clinical benefits of both technologies. “With both systems capable of exchanging data, we created a valuable solution that is ready-to-use for all neurosurgical departments that have a Nexstim NBS system and the latest version of iPlan® Cranial” says Stefan Uebelhoer, Marketing Manager Neurosurgery, Brainlab.

More Information: FiberTracking and Functional Planning Software