Machine and method for the determination of nervous-system-generator parameters using lead fields

A machine comprising a computer for converting electrical recordings of the nervous system into displayed nervous-system-generator parameters using a computational model, said model defined by parameters including mesh points, nodes, elements, shape functions defining the surface across each element, basis functions providing an approximation of electric potential and electric flux density solutions across each element, volumes of interest, electrical generator parameters, and electrical material property data across the volumes of interest, the machine comprising:

• a. means for receiving and storing data comprised of electrical recordings at one or more time points from one or more recording channels, said means including at least one recording electrode,
• b. means for receiving and storing model data comprised of:
• 1. locations and order of the mesh points defining each element,
• 2. locations and order of the nodes on each element,
• 3. shape functions defining the surface across each element,
• 4. basis functions providing an approximation of the electric potential and electric flux density solutions across each element,
• 5. electrical material property data across the volumes of interest,
• 6. locations of said at least one recording electrode in the model;
• 7. initial electrical generator parameters, including initial generator-location;
• c. means for computing, using a finite element method, the electric potentials on nodes of the elements containing the electric generators that would occur due to a current of specified magnitude at the location of said at least one recording electrode,
• d. means for determining weight function values for said initial generator parameters, from at least one of the electric potentials at said initial generator location or the electric fields at said initial generator location, said electric potentials or electric fields being derived from said electric potentials and/or flux densities computed in subparagraph c,
• e. means for determining the electrical generator parameters, and
• f. means for displaying said electrical generator parameters determined according to subparagraph e and/or said weight function values according to subparagraph d.

A method for converting electrical recordings of the nervous system into displayed nervous-system-generator parameters using a computational model, said model defined by parameters including mesh points, nodes, elements, shape functions defining the surface across each element, basis functions providing an approximation of electric potential and electric flux density solutions across each element, volumes of interest, electrical generator parameters, and electrical material property data across the volumes of interest, the method comprising:

• a. programming a general purpose computer to receive and store data comprised of electrical recordings at one or more time points from one or more recording channels from at least one recording electrode,
• b. programming a general purpose computer to receive and store model data comprised of:
• 1. locations and order of the mesh points defining each element,
• 2. locations and order of the nodes on each element,
• 3. shape functions defining the surface across each element,
• 4. basis functions providing an approximation of the electric potential and electric flux density solutions across each element,
• 5. electrical material property data across the volumes of interest,
• 6. locations of said at least one recording electrode in the model;
• 7. initial electrical generator parameters, including initial generator-location;
• c. programming the computer to compute, using a boundary element method, the electric potentials on nodes of all boundaries, or the electric potentials and electric flux densities on nodes on at least 1 boundary (b.sub.1) encompassing the volumes of interest and electric potentials on nodes on all boundaries (b.sub.2 . . . b.sub.n) within b.sub.1 describing junctions between volumes with different material properties that would occur due to a current of specified magnitude at the location of said at least one recording electrode,
• d. programming the computer to compute the weight function values for said initial generator parameters, from at least one of the electric potentials at said initial generator location or the electric fields at said initial generator location, said electric potentials or electric fields being derived from said electric potentials and/or flux densities computed in subparagraph c,
• e. programming the computer to compute the electrical generator parameters, and
• f. displaying said electrical generator parameters determined according to subparagraph e and/or said weight function values according to subparagraph d.

A method for converting electrical recordings of the nervous system into displayed nervous-system-generator parameters using a computational model, said model defined by parameters including mesh points, nodes, elements, shape functions defining the surface across each element basis functions providing an approximation of electric potential and electric flux density solutions across each element, volumes of interest, electrical generator parameters, and electrical material property data across the volumes of interest, the method comprising:

• a. programming a general purpose computer to receive and store data comprised of electrical recordings at one or more time points from one or more recording channels from at least one recording electrode,
• b. programming a general purpose computer to receive and store model data comprised of:
• 1. locations and order of the mesh points defining each element,
• 2. locations and order of the nodes on each element,
• 3. shape functions defining the surface across each element,
• 4. basis functions providing an approximation of the electric potential and electric flux density solutions across each element,
• 5. electrical material property data across the volumes of interest,
• 6. locations of said at least one recording electrode in the model;
• 7. initial electrical generator parameters, including initial generator-location;
• c. programming the computer to compute, using a finite element method, the electric potentials on nodes of the elements containing the electric generators that would occur due to a current of specified magnitude at the location of said at least one recording electrode,
• d. programming the computer to determine the weight function values for said initial generator parameters, from at least one of the electric potentials at said initial generator location or the electric fields at said initial generator location, said electric potentials or electric fields being derived from said electric potentials and/or flux densities computed in subparagraph c,
• e. programming the computer to determine the electrical generator parameters, and
• f. displaying said electrical generator parameters determined according to subparagraph e end/or said weight function values according to subparagraph d.