An Experimental and Numerical Study on Tactile Neuroimaging: A Novel Minimally Invasive Technique for Intraoperative Brain Imaging

Abstract

Background The success of tumor neurosurgery is highly dependent on the ability to accurately localize the operative target, which may be shifted during the operation. Performing an intraoperative brain imaging is crucial in minimally invasive neurosurgery to detect the effect of brain shift on the tumor’s location, and to maximize the efficiency of tumor resection. Method The major objective of this research is to introduce the tactile neuroimaging as a novel minimally invasive technique for intraoperative brain imaging. To investigate the feasibility of the proposed method, an experimental and numerical study was first performed on silicone phantoms mimicking the brain tissue with a tumor. Then the study was extended to a clinical model with the meningioma tumor. Results The stress distribution on the brain surface has high potential to intraoperatively localize the tumor. Conclusion Results suggest that tactile neuroimaging can be used to provide a non-invasive, and real-time intraoperative data on tumor’s features.