Method and device for creating and displaying a map of a brain operating field

A computer-implemented method for generating and displaying a map of a brain operating field, brain tissue areas associated with at least one stimulated brain function being marked in said map, the computer-implemented method comprising

• generating control signals for controlling a stimulation device and a recording device in such a way that during each of a plurality of measurement cycles a stimulation of at least one brain function is effected and at least one stimulation image of the brain operating field with the stimulated brain function is recorded, and that during each of the measurement cycles at least one reference image of the brain operating field without the stimulated brain function is recorded, wherein the plurality of measurement cycles includes a first measurement cycle,
• generating a map of the brain operating field using the at least one stimulation image recorded in the measurement cycle and the at least one reference image recorded in the measurement cycle, and
• generating a signal for a display device and outputting the signal to the display device, wherein the signal has the effect that the map is displayed on the display device, generating the control signals for the stimulation device and the recording device in such a way that the plurality of measurement cycles are carried out and a new map of the brain operating field is generated after each one of the plurality of measurement cycles following the first measurement cycle, wherein, in order to generate the new map, the at least one stimulation image and the at least one reference image of one or more preceding measurement cycles are used in addition to the at least one stimulation image recorded in the measurement cycle just carried out and the at least one reference image recorded in the measurement cycle just carried out, and after each measurement cycle the signal for the display device is updated in such a way that at least the new map generated after the measurement cycle just carried out is displayed on the display device;
• examining the at least one stimulation image and the at least one reference image used for said generating the new map for disturbances;
• determining a numerical value representing a measure of the disturbances in the at least one stimulation image and the at least one reference image used for said generating the new map as a quality parameter;
• assigning the quality parameter to the new map;
• displaying the quality parameter beside the new map;
• and
• wherein the numerical value indicates a magnitude of a proportion of the brain tissue area affected by the disturbances in a total brain tissue area visible in the brain operating field.

A device for generating and displaying a map of a brain operating field, brain tissue areas associated with at least one stimulated brain function being marked in said map, the device comprising:

• a stimulation device;
• a recording device;
• a display device;
• a control and evaluation device connected or connectable to said stimulation device, said recording device, and said display device;
• said control and evaluation device being configured to control said stimulation device and said recording device so as to effect a stimulation of at least one brain function during each of a plurality of measurement cycles, record at least one stimulation image of the brain operating field with said at least one stimulation brain function during the measurement cycle and record at least one reference image of the brain operating field without said at least one stimulated brain function during the measurement cycle;
• said control and evaluation device being further configured to generate a map of the brain operating field using said at least one stimulation image recorded during the measurement cycle and said at least one reference image recorded during the measurement cycle;
• said control and evaluation device being further configured to generate a signal for said display device and output said signal to said display device, wherein said signal is configured to cause said map to be displayed on said display device;
• and, said control and evaluation device being further configured to control said stimulation device and said recording device so as to cause a plurality of measurement cycles to be carried out;
• said control and evaluation device being configured to generate a new map of the brain operating field after each one of the plurality of measurement cycles following a first measurement cycle, wherein, in order to generate said new map, said stimulation images and said reference images of one or more preceding measurement cycles are also used besides said at least one stimulation image recorded in the measurement cycle just carried out and said at least one reference image recorded in the measurement cycle just carried out;
• said control and evaluation device being configured to update said signal for the display device after each measurement cycle in such a manner that at least said map generated after the measurement cycle just carried out is displayed on said display device;
• said control and evaluation device being further configured to examine the at least one stimulation image and the at least one reference image used for said generating the new map for disturbances and determine a numerical value representing a measure of the disturbances in the at least one stimulation image and the at least one reference image used for said generating the new map as a quality parameter;
• said control and evaluation device being further configured to assign the quality parameter to the new map and display the quality parameter beside the new map;
• and,
• wherein the numerical value indicates a magnitude of a proportion of the brain tissue area affected by the disturbances in a total brain tissue area visible in the brain operating field.