Anatomically accurate rodent head models and brain phantoms and methods for making and using the same
AssigneeVirginia Commonwealth University
InventorsChirayu NIMONKAR, Eli KNIGHT, Ivan C. CARMONA, Ravi L. HADIMANI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Anatomically accurate rodent brain models and phantoms, processes for constructing an anatomically correct computer simulation model of a rodent head, and fabricating the accurate rodent brain models and phantoms, and methods for leveraging the accurate rodent brain models and phantoms production are disclosed, and which may be used for simulated and experimental verification of induced electric fields and for experimentally testing neuromodulation and neuroimaging procedures.
Claims18
A method for constructing an anatomically correct model of a rodent head that is useable for testing or evaluating a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or other neuromodulation system or method, and useable for fabricating a brain phantom that mimics the rodent head, the method comprising:
- receiving, and storing in a data memory of a programmable computer resource, a tissue imaging data for the rodent head, the tissue imaging data including a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rodent head image data and a computer tomography (CT) imaging rodent head data image data;
- performing a computer based tissue segmentation of the MRI rodent head image data, the segmentation outputting as a result, a three-dimensional (3D) tissue topology data representing boundary topologies of different tissue types of the rodent head tissues;
- storing the 3D tissue topology data in the data memory;
- computer-based generating, based on the 3D tissue topology data in the data memory and CT imaging rodent head data image data, 3D surface models of the different tissue types among the rodent head tissues, by operations including
- a computer based labeling of the different tissue types of the rat head tissues, the labeling forming a 3D label map that represents different tissues appearing in the MRI rodent head image, and
- a computer-based generating, based on the 3D label map, 3D surface models of the different tissue types among the rodent head tissues, encoded as Surface Triangle Language (STL) or equivalent format files;
- and
- computer-based refining of the STL or equivalent format files encoding the 3D surface models of the different types of tissue, and converting of a result of the refining to a simulation process compliant file format encoding of the 3D surface models.
An anatomically accurate rodent brain phantom, comprising a plurality of layers that, in combination, form a structure having a three-dimensional geometry that mimics a three-dimensional geometry of a rodent brain, wherein the configured to mimic respective brain structures including at least two of grey matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid, wherein the layers comprise a conductive material comprising polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
An anatomically accurate rodent brain phantom, comprising a plurality of layers configured to mimic respective brain structures including at least two of grey matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid, wherein the brain structures are formed from a conductive material comprising polylactic acid (PLA).
A method of producing an anatomically accurate rodent brain phantom, comprising
- forming an anatomically accurate inner shell and an outer shell that mimic an inner surface and an outer surface of a brain structure;
- pouring a first conductive material comprising polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and carbon nanotubes in between the inner shell and the outer shell;
- curing the first conductive material;
- removing the inner shell and the outer shell to provide a brain phantom of said brain structure;
- forming one or more additional layers by pouring a second conductive material comprising polydimethyl-siloxane (PDMS) and carbon nanotubes between either
- at least one additional anatomically accurate shell and an existing layer of the brain phantom, or
- two existing layers of the brain phantom;
- curing the second conductive material;
- and
- responsive to an additional shell being used in the pouring step, removing the at least one additional shell.
A method of producing an anatomically accurate rodent brain phantom, comprising 3D printing a plurality of layers configured to mimic respective brain structures including at least two of grey matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid, wherein the brain structures are formed from a conductive material comprising polylactic acid (PLA).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.