Summary
We have developed a method for mapping positions on the head, such as anatomical landmarks, electrode locations, and stimulation sites, onto magnetic resonance (MR) images of the head. This method is based on the registration of two representations of the head surface: a series of contours obtained from MR images and a set of points measured from the head. The three-dimensional coordinates of each head point were acquired with the use of a magnetic digitizer, whose source was removed from the equipment and mounted on top of the subject's head. This arrangement seemed less uncomfortable for the subject than head immobilization and allowed the acquisition of many points without compromising the precision of the measurements. The digitized head surface was registered to MR image head contours using a surface registration algorithm. The registration provided the rotation and translation parameters needed for mapping head positions onto MR images. The precision of this mapping method has been estimated to be in the range of 3 to 8 mm. This method has been used to map dipole sources in electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography and to impose maps of scalp sites used in transcranial magnetic stimulation onto MR and PET images of the brain.
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Dr. Wang was on leave from the State University of Campinas, Brazil, and was supported by the Brazilian Research Council (CNPq) and the Research Foundation of Sao Paulo (FAPESP). We are grateful to J. Trettau, W. Groves, R. Hill, and L. Johnson for technical assistance, to B.J. Hessie for skillful editing, and to Drs. S. Bookheimer, E.M. Wassermann, A. Pascual-Leone, J. Valls-Solé, R. Thatcher, C.N. Chen, R. Levin, and C.A. Pelizzari for their cooperation. Dr. B.J. Roth provided valuable criticisms. The support of Dr. M. Eden, Director of the Biomedical Engineering and Instrumentation Program, is appreciated.
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Wang, B., Toro, C., Zeffiro, T.A. et al. Head surface digitization and registration: A method for mapping positions on the head onto magnetic resonance images. Brain Topogr 6, 185–192 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01187708
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01187708