Method And Apparatus To Optimize Electrode Placement For Neurological Stimulation

Abstract

A method and apparatus can be used to guide or navigate an instrument relative to a body. Various types of information can be used to assist in the navigation, such as MRI data, diffusion tensor image data, and the like. The information can assist in identifying the portions of the body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical system to navigate a procedure on a patient, comprising:
 an imaging device operable to obtain image data of an anatomy of the patient;   a processor operable to identify at least a portion of a neuron within the image data of the patient;   an instrument; and   a tracking system configured to track a tracking device associated with the instrument to determine a location of the instrument;   wherein the tracking system is operable to track a position of the instrument relative to the patient in the image data, wherein the image data includes the identified at least the portion of the neuron.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display device configured to display the image data including a representation of the identified at least the portion of the neuron and an icon of the instrument relative to the representation of the identified at least the portion of the neuron.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein at least the representation of the identified at least the portion of the neuron includes a neuron icon based at least in part on a diffusion data. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable with the tracking system to determine the relative position of the instrument to the patient in the image data including the identified at least the portion of the neuron. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instrument includes at least one of a stimulation probe, an ablation device, an electrical lead, an electrical recorder, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking system includes at least one of an electromagnetic tracking system, an optical tracking system, an accelerometer tracking system, a radiation tracking system, an acoustic tracking system, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method for performing a surgical procedure on an anatomy, comprising:
 selecting an identified neuron or portion thereof in the anatomy based upon an analyzed obtained image data of the anatomy to apply a selected therapy;   executing instructions with a processor to determine a target location at the selected and identified neuron or portion thereof to apply the selected therapy to directly affect the selected and identified neuron or portion thereof; and   displaying an instrument icon representing a navigated instrument relative to the selected and identified neuron or portion thereof;   wherein the selected therapy is applied with the navigated instrument, illustrated with the instrument icon, to the selected identified neuron or portion thereof to provide the selected therapy to the selected and identified neuron or portion thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 moving an instrument to the determined target location in the anatomy;   wherein the selecting the identified neuron or portion thereof in the anatomy and executing instructions with the processor to determine the target location at the selected and identified neuron or portion thereof occurs prior to moving the instrument to the determined target location in the anatomy.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 tracking with a tracking system the location of the instrument relative to the determined target location at the selected and identified neuron or portion thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the selected and identified neuron or portion thereof in the anatomy includes selecting an axon of a neuron.