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Influence of heterogeneous and anisotropic tissue conductivity on electric field distribution in deep brain stimulation

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Abstract

The aim was to quantify the influence of heterogeneous isotropic and heterogeneous anisotropic tissue on the spatial distribution of the electric field during deep brain stimulation (DBS). Three finite element tissue models were created of one patient treated with DBS. Tissue conductivity was modelled as (I) homogeneous isotropic, (II) heterogeneous isotropic based on MRI, and (III) heterogeneous anisotropic based on diffusion tensor MRI. Modelled DBS electrodes were positioned in the subthalamic area, the pallidum, and the internal capsule in each tissue model. Electric fields generated during DBS were simulated for each model and target-combination and visualized with isolevels at 0.20 (inner), and 0.05 V mm−1 (outer). Statistical and vector analysis was used for evaluation of the distribution of the electric field. Heterogeneous isotropic tissue altered the spatial distribution of the electric field by up to 4% at inner, and up to 10% at outer isolevel. Heterogeneous anisotropic tissue influenced the distribution of the electric field by up to 18 and 15% at each isolevel, respectively. The influence of heterogeneous and anisotropic tissue on the electric field may be clinically relevant in anatomic regions that are functionally subdivided and surrounded by multiple fibres of passage.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Simone Hemm-Ode, PhD, Göran Salerud, PhD, and Mats Andersson, PhD, for valuable input, and Associate professor Eva Enqvist, for statistical contributions. This study was financially supported by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF), Swedish Research Council (VR, grant number 621-2008-3013), and Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA, group grant number 311-2006-7661).

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None of the authors reported any conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden

    Mattias Åström & Karin Wårdell

  2. Clermont Université, Université d’Auvergne, EA 3295, Equipe de Recherche en Signal et Imagerie Médicale, Image-Guided Clinical Neuroscience and Connectomics (IGCNC), BP 10448, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Jean-Jacques Lemaire

  3. CHU Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Neurochirurgie, 63003, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Jean-Jacques Lemaire

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  1. Mattias Åström
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Correspondence to Mattias Åström.

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Åström, M., Lemaire, JJ. & Wårdell, K. Influence of heterogeneous and anisotropic tissue conductivity on electric field distribution in deep brain stimulation. Med Biol Eng Comput 50, 23–32 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-011-0842-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11517-011-0842-z

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