System and method for obtaining a volume of influence based on non-uniform tissue conductivity data

A computer-assisted method comprising:

• creating a finite element model (FEM) of a tissue volume near an electrode location, in which the FEM is tailored to a particular electrode morphology selected from a plurality of candidate electrode morphologies, and in which the FEM incorporates non-uniform tissue conductivity data to represent inhomogeneous and anisotropic tissue properties;
• solving the FEM for each candidate electrode morphology, by a computer processor, to compute a volume of influence for each candidate electrode morphology, wherein the volume of influence comprises a predicted volume of tissue affected by an electrical stimulation delivered by each candidate electrode morphology, and wherein computing the volume of influence comprises at least one of:
• i) calculating a second difference of a potential distribution to represent the volume of influence;
• and
• ii) calculating the volume of influence, wherein the calculating of the volume of influence includes using an electric field model together with a multi-compartment neuron model oriented and positioned to represent at least one actual nerve pathway in the anatomic volume;
• and
• selecting at least one of the candidate electrode morphologies using the volume of influence.

A patient-specific neurostimulation modeling system comprising:

• a computer-readable medium having stored thereon:
• a volumetric electric field model including non-uniform conductivity data to represent inhomogeneous and anisotropic tissue properties of a tissue region of a patient;
• and
• at least one neuron or axon model that specifies a position of neurons within the region according to at least one patient-specific neural pathway;
• a processor that is configured to calculate a volume of influence by solving at least one of:
• i) a second difference of a potential distribution to represent the volume of influence;
• and
• ii) an electric field model together with a multi-compartment neuron model oriented and positioned to represent at least one actual nerve pathway in the anatomic volume;
• an imaging display that is configured to display volumetric imaging data of the region together with the calculated volume of influence;
• and
• a correlation or optimization module that is configured to assist in the selection of at least one of a desired electrode location and at least one desired stimulation parameter setting using the volume of influence.

A computer-assisted method comprising:

• creating a finite element model (FEM) of a tissue volume near a possible electrode location, in which the FEM is tailored to a particular electrode morphology;
• solving the FEM, by a computer processor, to obtain a second difference in an electric potential distribution in the tissue volume;
• defining at least one threshold requirement on the second difference in the electric potential distribution, including using at least one neuron or axon model to define the at least one threshold requirement;
• and
• computing, by the computer processor, a volume of influence defined by a surface about the possible electrode location at which the second difference in the electric potential distribution meets the threshold requirement.

A computer-assisted method comprising:

• creating a finite element model (FEM) of a tissue volume near an electrode location, in which the FEM is tailored to a particular electrode morphology selected from a plurality of candidate electrode morphologies;
• solving the FEM for each candidate electrode morphology, by a computer processor, to compute a volume of influence for each candidate electrode morphology, wherein the volume of influence comprises a predicted volume of tissue affected by an electrical stimulation delivered by each candidate electrode morphology, and wherein computing the volume of influence comprises at least one of:
• i) calculating a second difference of a potential distribution to represent the volume of influence;
• and
• ii) calculating the volume of influence, wherein the calculating of the volume of influence includes using an electric field model together with a multi-compartment neuron model oriented and positioned to represent at least one actual nerve pathway in the anatomic volume;
• and
• selecting at least one of the candidate electrode morphologies using the volume of influence.

A patient-specific neurostimulation modeling system comprising:

• a computer-readable medium having stored thereon:
• a volumetric electric field model;
• and
• at least one neuron or axon model that specifies a position of neurons within the region according to at least one patient-specific neural pathway;
• a processor that is configured to calculate a volume of influence by solving at least one of:
• i) a second difference of a potential distribution to represent the volume of influence;
• and
• ii) an electric field model together with a multi-compartment neuron model oriented and positioned to represent at least one actual nerve pathway in an anatomic volume;
• an imaging display that is configured to display volumetric imaging data of the region together with the calculated volume of influence;
• and
• a correlation or optimization module that is configured to assist in the selection of at least one of a desired electrode location and at least one desired stimulation parameter setting using the volume of influence.