title: Image-based in vivo assessment of targeting accuracy of stereotactic brain surgery in experimental rodent models.
abstract: Stereotactic neurosurgery is used in pre-clinical research of neurological and psychiatric disorders in experimental rat and mouse models to engraft a needle or electrode at a pre-defined location in the brain. However, inaccurate targeting may confound the results of such experiments. In contrast to the clinical practice, inaccurate targeting in rodents remains usually unnoticed until assessed by ex vivo end-point histology. We here propose a workflow for in vivo assessment of stereotactic targeting accuracy in small animal studies based on multi-modal post-operative imaging. The surgical trajectory in each individual animal is reconstructed in 3D from the physical implant imaged in post-operative CT and/or its trace as visible in post-operative MRI. By co-registering post-operative images of individual animals to a common stereotaxic template, targeting accuracy is quantified. Two commonly used neuromodulation regions were used as targets. Target localization errors showed not only variability, but also inaccuracy in targeting. Only about 30% of electrodes were within the subnucleus structure that was targeted and a-specific adverse effects were also noted. Shifting from invasive/subjective 2D histology towards objective in vivo 3D imaging-based assessment of targeting accuracy may benefit a more effective use of the experimental data by excluding off-target cases early in the study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT/PSI), KU Leuven &Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.|Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Janaki Raman
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rangarajan
authors.affiliation: Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.|Biomedical MRI unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Greetje
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vande Velde
authors.affiliation: Biomedical MRI unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.|Laboratory for Experimental Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Friso
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: van Gent
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Experimental Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Vloo
authors.affiliation: Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.|Biomedical MRI unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dresselaers
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT/PSI), KU Leuven &Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Depypere
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Experimental Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Kris
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Kuyck
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Experimental Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nuttin
authors.affiliation: Molecular Small Animal Imaging Center (MoSAIC), Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.|Biomedical MRI unit, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Himmelreich
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering (ESAT/PSI), KU Leuven &Medical Imaging Research Center, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Flanders, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frederik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Maes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*