Method and system for electrode verification
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Publication Number
US-11317841-B2
Publication Date
2022-05-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
An electrode management solution for neuromonitoring applications such as electroencephalography (EEG) procedures provides for the verification of the locations and connections of electrodes. The brain is modeled as a volume conductor and an expected attenuated signal generated by an electrical signal present in the form of an electrical dipole at any other point in the brain is calculated. A known signal is connected between electrodes at ‘presumed’ locations. This action generates a defined electrical field which can be measured between any of the other electrode locations. The amplitude and phase of the measured signals are a function of the input signal, the volume conductor, and the geometric relations of the two electrodes. By comparing the expected values with the measured values, the relation between the electrodes is verified.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method for verifying one or more locations of electrodes in a neuromonitoring system by injecting a known signal into a first electrode and a second electrode. The injected signal comprises a normal polarity and a reverse polarity, and the first electrode and the second electrode are surrounded by a plurality of neighboring electrodes. Injecting the signal generates an electric field around the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes.
The method measures concurrent responses at the plurality of neighboring electrodes and measures baseline noise at the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes before and after injecting the signal. Expected responses are determined for an expected geometry of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes, and the measured concurrent responses are compared to the expected responses. One or more neighboring electrodes are flagged when a respective measured response differs from a respective expected response, indicating incorrect location.
The invention further includes displaying at least the one or more flagged electrodes on a display, and repeating the injecting while electrical signals are injected to different combinations of electrodes from the group of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes. The flagged electrodes identified from each repetition are evaluated using statistical evaluation and the locations are verified based on the evaluating. In the described system, a control unit receives responses, performs measuring, determining, comparing, flagging, repeating, evaluating, and verifying, and the display outputs the flagged electrodes.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes two independent claims, a method claim and a system claim, with coverage focused on verifying electrode locations in a neuromonitoring system by injecting normal/reverse polarity signals and comparing measured concurrent responses to expected responses for an expected geometry. The inventive features are centered on electric-field generation between a first electrode and a second electrode, neighbor-based measurement, expected-response computation for an assumed electrode geometry, deviation-based flagging indicating incorrect location, and display of flagged electrodes. The system claim further specifies repeating across different electrode combinations and performing statistical evaluation to verify locations.
Injecting a normal/reverse-polarity signal into surrounding electrodes to generate an electric field
Injecting a known signal comprising a normal polarity and a reverse polarity that are respectively input to a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are surrounded by a plurality of neighboring electrodes and wherein injecting generates an electric field around the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes.
Measuring neighbor concurrent responses and baseline noise before and after injection
Measuring concurrent responses to the electric field at the plurality of neighboring electrodes, including at least one amplitude, at least one polarity, and at least one waveform, and measuring baseline noise at the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes before and after the signal is injected.
Determining expected responses for an expected electrode geometry and comparing
Determining expected responses to the signal at the plurality of neighboring electrodes for an expected geometry of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes, and comparing the measured concurrent responses to the expected responses.
Flagging electrodes with measured-versus-expected mismatch indicating incorrect location and displaying them
Flagging one or more electrodes of the plurality of neighboring electrodes for which the comparing determines that the respective measured response is different from the respective expected response, wherein the flagging indicates an incorrect location of the one or more flagged electrodes, and displaying at least the one or more flagged electrodes on a display.
Repeating injection across different electrode combinations with statistical evaluation to verify locations
Repeating the method while the electrical signals are injected to different combinations of electrodes from the group of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes, evaluating the one or more flagged electrodes identified from each repetition using statistical evaluation, and verifying the locations based on the evaluating.
System architecture with signal generator, amplifiers, control unit, and display
A system for neuromonitoring comprising a signal generator adapted to generate electrical signals and configured to inject the electrical signals into the first electrode and the second electrode; an amplifier connected to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the plurality of neighboring electrodes configured to receive responses, convert analog format to digital format, and transmit the responses; a control unit configured to receive the responses, measure responses at the plurality of neighboring electrodes, measure baseline noise before and after injecting, determine expected responses for an expected geometry, compare measured responses to expected responses, flag one or more electrodes indicating incorrect location, repeat with different electrode combinations, evaluate flagged electrodes with statistical evaluation, and verify the locations based on the evaluation; and a display for displaying at least the one or more flagged electrodes.
The independent claims cover electrode verification in a neuromonitoring system by injecting a known normal/reverse polarity signal into a first and second electrode surrounded by neighboring electrodes to generate an electric field, measuring neighbor responses and baseline noise, determining expected responses for an expected electrode geometry, comparing measured to expected responses, and flagging electrodes whose responses differ to indicate incorrect location with results displayed. The system claim additionally repeats injections across different electrode combinations and uses statistical evaluation to verify the electrode locations.
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