Biomedical subjects

S Hunsche

Publications and source records attributed to S Hunsche.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

The influence of head frame distortions on stereotactic localization and targeting.

A strong attachment of a stereotactic head frame to the patient's skull may cause distortions of the head frame. The aim of this work was to identify possible distortions of the head frame, to measure the degree of distortion occurring in clinical practice and to investigate its influence on stereotactic localization and targeting. A model to describe and quantify the distortion of the Riechert-Mundinger (RM) head frame was developed. Distortions were classified as (a) bending and (b) changes from the circular ring shape. Ring shape changes were derived from stereotactic CT scans and frame bending was determined from intraoperative stereotactic x-ray images of patients with implanted 125I-seeds acting as landmarks. From the examined patient data frame bending was determined to be 0.74 mm+/-0.32 mm and 1.30 mm in maximum. If a CT-localizer with a top ring is used, frame bending has no influence on stereotactic CT-localization. In stereotactic x-ray localization, frame bending leads to an overestimation of the z-coordinate by 0.37 mm+/-0.16 mm on average and by 0.65 mm in maximum. The accuracy of patient positioning in radiosurgery is not affected by frame bending. But in stereotactic surgery with an RM aiming bow trajectory displacements are expected. These displacements were estimated to be 0.36 mm+/-0.16 mm (max. 0.74 mm) at the target point and 0.65 mm+/-0.30 mm (max. 1.31 mm) at the entry point level. Changes from the circularring shape are small and do not compromise the accuracy of stereotactic targeting and localization. The accuracy of CT-localization was found to be close to the resolution limit due to voxel size. Our findings for frame bending of the RM frame could be validated by statistical analysis and by comparison with an independent patient examination. The results depend on the stereotactic system and details of the localizers and instruments and also reflect our clinical practice. Therefore, a generalization is not possible. Preliminary experience with a new MR-compatible RM head frame made of ceramics shows no frame distortions as with the conventional frame made of an Al-Cu-Mg alloy.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2004

MR-guided stereotactic neurosurgery--comparison of fiducial-based and anatomical landmark transformation approaches.

For application in magnetic resonance (MR) guided stereotactic neurosurgery, two methods for transformation of MR-image coordinates in stereotactic, frame-based coordinates exist: the direct stereotactic fiducial-based transformation method and the indirect anatomical landmark method. In contrast to direct stereotactic MR transformation, indirect transformation is based on anatomical landmark coregistration of stereotactic computerized tomography and non-stereotactic MR images. In a patient study, both transformation methods have been investigated with visual inspection and mutual information analysis. Comparison was done for our standard imaging protocol, including t2-weighted spin-echo as well as contrast enhanced t1-weighted gradient-echo imaging. For t2-weighted spin-echo imaging, both methods showed almost similar and satisfying performance with a small, but significant advantage for fiducial-based transformation. In contrast, for t1-weighted gradient-echo imaging with more geometric distortions due to field inhomogenities and gradient nonlinearity than t2-weighted spin-echo imaging, mainly caused by a reduced bandwidth per pixel, anatomical landmark transformation delivered markedly better results. Here, fiducial-based transformation yielded results which are intolerable for stereotactic neurosurgery. Mean Euclidian distances between both transformation methods were 0.96 mm for t2-weighted spin-echo and 1.67 mm for t1-weighted gradient-echo imaging. Maximum deviations were 1.72 mm and 3.06 mm, respectively.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2003

Geometrical and dosimetrical characterization of the photon source using a micro-multileaf collimator for stereotactic radiosurgery.

A micro-multileaf collimator (microMLC) for stereotactic radiosurgery is used for determination of the spatial intensity distribution of the photon source of a linear accelerator. The method is based on grid field dose measurements using film dosimetry and is easy to perform. Since the microMLC does not allow 'direct' imaging of the photon source, special software has been developed to analyse grid field measurements. Besides the source-density function, grid field analysis yields the position of the focal spot in the room laser coordinate system of the linear accelerator and the position of the treatment head rotation axis and the inclination angle of the leaf bank. Thus the method can be used for base dosimetry and for quality assurance in radiosurgery using a microMLC.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2001

Diffusion-tensor MR imaging at 1.5 and 3.0 T: initial observations.

Diffusion-tensor MR imaging was compared at 1.5 and 3.0 T. With sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, we found no differences in fractional anisotropy. With a 40% higher signal-to-noise ratio at 3.0 T, higher resolution could be obtained without introduction of noise-related errors, albeit at the cost of increased geometric distortions caused by 3.0-T magnetic field inhomogeneities.

Adult↗

PubMed1996