Invited Talk by Prof. Benoit Dawant: Advances in Pre-operative Planning of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Surgeries

Prof. Benoit Dawant ViSE Steering Committee Chair and Center Director Professor for Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Radiology and Radiological Sciences Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN Date: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 Time: 10:30 - 11:30 Location: Fakultätsraum, MI 00.12.019, Garching

Advances in Pre-operative Planning of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Surgeries

Abstract: The talk will encompass two parts. In the first part, Prof. Dawant will introduce their work for image-guided Deep-Brain-Stimulation (DBS) neurosurgeries, facilitating the pre-operative, intra-operative, and post-operative phases of DBS surgery. The system, which consists of a data repository called CranialVault and of a suite of software tools called CranialVault Explorer (CRAVE), is the first system designed to provide assistance for all phases of the procedure, from preoperative planning to surgical implantation and device programming. Their research lead to the founding of a company called Neurotargeting Inc., which recently received NIH STTR Phase II funding, for turning the research prototype into a FDA-approved commercial medical product. The second part of the talk will cover their work on improved and image-guided programming of cochlear-implant hearing aids, using pre- and post-operative CT scans to optimize the stimulation of neurons by implanted electrodes. The non-invasive (i.e. non-surgical) process of implant re-programming improves the spectral resolution of the implant and thus greatly enhances the ability to discern noises and recognize speech.