title: [Evaluation of a DC pulsed magnetic tracking system in neurosurgical navigation: technique, accuracies, and influencing factors].
abstract: Navigation systems are useful instruments in cranial neurosurgery. For specification of position, so-called sensor-based navigation techniques use: (a) a signal emitter that generates a defined electromagnetic field in the area of the operation site; and (b) small sensors that detect the position of various operating instruments in the electromagnetic field. For a long time, owing to a lack of clinical data and long-term studies, electromagnetic systems have been regarded as error-prone and imprecise. With the development of a pulsed direct current (DC) technique, precision levels can now be reached that are comparable with those of established optical and mechanical measuring procedures. However, it must be noted that the influence on the measuring accuracy within the operating field increases with increasing susceptibility of the various metals used in the operating theatre (titanium<aluminium<high-alloy steels<low-alloy steels). The technique, accuracy, and influencing factors of a DC pulsed magnetic tracking system were investigated in more than 200 cases.
authors.affiliation: Neurochirurgische Klinik, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12200 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Suess
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suess
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mularski
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kühn
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Picht
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schönherr
authors.forename: Theodoros
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kombos
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008280:Magnetics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods