Modeling of Brain Tissue Heating Caused by Direct Cortical Stimulation for Assessing the Risk of Thermal Damage

• Published in: IEEE transactions on neural systems and rehabilitation engineering 2019-03, Vol.27 (3), p.440-449
• Main Authors: Vrba, J., Janca, R., Blaha, M., Jezdik, P., Belohlavkova, A., Krsek, P., Vrba, D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Body Temperature; Brain; Brain - physiology; Brain Mapping - adverse effects; Cerebral Cortex - physiology; Computational modeling; Computer Simulation; Cortex; Damage assessment; Electric Stimulation - adverse effects; Electrical stimulation; Electrical stimuli; Electrodes; Hot Temperature - adverse effects; Humans; Image acquisition; Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring - adverse effects; Mapping; Mathematical model; Mathematical models; Models, Theoretical; Neuroimaging; Neurosurgery; numerical model; Numerical models; Protocols; Risk assessment; Spatial distribution; Stimulation; Temperature dependence; Temperature distribution; Temperature effects; Temperature measurement; thermal damage; Thermal imaging; Thermal simulation; Thermal transients; Thermodynamics; Thermography; Time dependence; Tissues
• ISSN: 1534-4320; 1558-0210
• DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2019.2898253

This paper aims to employ the numerical simulations to assess the risk of cellular damage during the application of a novel paradigm of electrical stimulation mapping (ESM) used in neurosurgery. The core principle of the paradigm is the use of short, high-intensity and high-frequency stimulation pulses. We developed a complex numerical model and performed coupled electro-thermal transient simulations. The model was optimized by incorporating ESM electrodes' resistance obtained during multiple intraoperative measurements and validated by comparing them with the results of temperature distribution measurement acquired by thermal imaging. The risk of heat-induced cellular damage was assessed by applying the Arrhenius equation integral on the computed time-dependent spatial distribution of temperature in the brain tissue. Our results suggest that the impact of the temperature increase during our novel ESM paradigm is thermally non-destructive. The presented simulation results match the previously published thermographic measurement and histopathological examination of the stimulated brain tissue and confirm the safety of the novel ESM.