Patent ID: 8180426
Filing Date: 2012-05-15
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for transcranial measurement of brain function, comprising the steps of: preparing image data including images of a plurality of markers at positions on a head surface and a brain surface image; and projecting the positions at the markers on the head surface which are positioned on a three-dimensional head image in the data onto positions on the brain surface, which are positions underlying the positions on the head surface, for determining three-dimensional coordinate positions of the projected points, thereby transforming head surface coordinates to brain surface coordinates, wherein the step for projecting the positions on the head surface onto the positions on the brain surface is carried out by a minimum distance search method or a head surface/brain interior reference dotted line segment connecting method, the minimum distance search method being a method which comprises the steps of: (a) providing MRI image data including three-dimensional pixel value data of the brain surface and the head surface, (b) extracting outlines of the brain surface and the head surface from the MRI image data, (c) smoothing the extracted brain surface outline, (d) searching a point on the smoothing processed brain surface outline having the minimum distance from an arbitrary point on the head surface outline, (e) connecting the searched point on the smoothing processed brain surface outline to the arbitrary point with a line segment, (f) searching a point of the extracted brain surface outline being closest to a straight line extending from the line segment in the direction of the brain surface, the extracted brain surface outline being not subjected to the smoothing step (c), and (g) deciding the point obtained by searching step (f) as a projection point on the brain surface corresponding to the arbitrary point on the head surface, and the head surface/brain interior reference dotted line segment connecting method being a method in which a straight line is drawn from an arbitrary point on the head surface in the three-dimensional head image to a reference point inside the brain surrounded by the head surface, and an intersection point of the straight line and the brain surface is determined as a projection point for the head surface point in question.