Systems and methods for identifying anode placement based on cerebrospinal fluid thickness

A method of identifying a selection of electrodes for stimulating a portion of a spinal cord of a patient, the method comprising:

• identifying an arrangement of a plurality of electrodes including a relative placement of each electrode within the arrangement;
• identifying a vertebral level for implantation of the arrangement and a position of the arrangement with respect to the spinal cord;
• determining by calculation, for a selection of at least one cathode from the plurality of electrodes, at least two anode guard electrodes from the plurality of electrodes including in the calculation an estimated thickness of cerebrospinal fluid at the vertebral level;
• and
• displaying an indication of the at least two anode guard electrodes for view by a practitioner.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having processor-executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions when installed onto a system enable the system to perform actions, comprising:

• receiving an indication of an arrangement of a plurality of electrodes including a relative placement of each electrode within the arrangement;
• receiving a vertebral level for implantation of the arrangement and a position of the arrangement with respect to the spinal cord;
• determining by calculation, for a selection of at least one cathode from the plurality of electrodes, at least two anode guard electrodes from the plurality of electrodes including in the calculation an estimated thickness of cerebrospinal fluid at the vertebral level;
• and
• displaying an indication of the at least two anode guard electrodes.

A system for determining electrodes for use in electrical stimulation the system comprising:

• a display;
• and
• at least one processor coupled to the display, the at least one processor is configured and arranged to
• receive an indication of an arrangement of a plurality of electrodes including a relative placement of each electrode within the arrangement;
• receive a vertebral level for implantation of the arrangement and a position of the arrangement with respect to the spinal cord;
• determine by calculation, for a selection of at least one cathode from the plurality of electrodes, at least two anode guard electrodes from the plurality of electrodes including in the calculation an estimated thickness of cerebrospinal fluid at the vertebral level;
• and
• display on the display an indication of the at least two anode guard electrodes.