Tissue-orientation-based simulation of deep brain stimulation

Abstract

A method is provided for determining an orientation of nerve fibres relative to a non-physiological electric field. Patient medical image data is acquired, which describes a patient medical image of an anatomical body part of a patient's body. The anatomical body part includes nerve tissue comprising white matter nerve fibres. Diffusion image data is acquired, which describes a diffusion-enhanced image of the anatomical body part. Atlas data is acquired, which describes a spatial distribution of grey value-based tissue classes in a model body part representing a model of the anatomical body part. Based on the patient image data, the diffusion image data, and the atlas data, fibre orientation data is determined. The fibre orientation data describes an orientation of the white matter nerve fibres. Electric field orientation data is acquired, which describes an orientation of the non-physiological electric field. The non-physiological electric field is an electric field simulated around a simulated electrode virtually placed in a predetermined spatial relationship relative to the anatomical body part. Based on the fibre orientation data and the electric field orientation data, relative orientation data is determined. The relative orientation data describes a relative orientation between the orientation of the white matter nerve fibres and the orientation of the electric field.