Computerized atlas for image-guided stereotactic functional neurosurgery

A computerized version of the Schaltenbrand and Wahren's stereotactic brain atlas for image-guided functional neurosurgery planning has been developed and integrated into our PC-based planning system. The SW atlas plates were digitized, contoured and labeled for both hemispheres. The computerized atlas may be interactively registered with patient's data using linear and non-linear transformation. The implemented computational tools and applications are presented. Our computer system permits navigation through original or reconstructed slices, multiple-views synchronization and zoom to improve the localization of the commisures and the surgical targets, likewise the optimum path selection. Atlas position in the target's region can be interactively actualized and lesion's position and volume may be simulated. Its benefits of this approach include increased accuracy of target definition, decreased the number of electrode tracts and for instance the time of the surgery, and reduced surgical complications.