Neuro-Needle Brain Deformation Quantification by Magnetic Sensor System

Abstract

Intraoperative brain deformation from neurosurgical needles or other load applying procedures can risk traumatic brain injury. Soft tissue, like the brain, is easily deformed even by light touch. Needle insertion leads to tissue rupture causing a sudden release of strain energy and the propagation of micro-cracks around the puncture site. The released strain energy is propagated along these cracks, causing neuronal and microvascular damage. Current image-guided neurosurgical procedures desperately lack information regarding micro level brain deformation, especially at the distal region of the needle penetration. As an imminent solution, collaborative approaches between current imaging technology and various brain deformation models have been reported. Unfortunately, computational models of brain deformation are unable to sufficiently account for the observed neuronal and microvascular damage. Thus, we report an implantable brain deformation sensing system that leads to a new micro level empirical brain deformation model. The hope is that our new empirical model will help better understand and mitigate tissue deformation at the distal region of the needle penetration site.