A hierarchical anatomical framework and workflow for organizing stereotactic encephalography in epilepsy

Abstract

Stereotactic electroencephalography (SEEG) is an increasingly utilized method for invasive monitoring in patients with medically intractable epilepsy. Yet, the lack of standardization for labeling electrodes hinders communication among clinicians. A rational clustering of contacts based on anatomy rather than arbitrary physical leads may help clinical neurophysiologists interpret seizure networks. We identified SEEG electrodes on post‐implant CTs and registered them to preoperative MRIs segmented according to an anatomical atlas. Individual contacts were automatically assigned to anatomical areas independent of lead. These contacts were then organized using a hierarchical anatomical schema for display and interpretation. Bipolar‐referenced signal cross‐correlations were used to compare the similarity of grouped signals within a conventional montage versus this anatomical montage. As a result, we developed a hierarchical organization for SEEG contacts using well‐accepted, free software that is based solely on their post‐implant anatomical location. When applied to three example SEEG cases for epilepsy, clusters of contacts that were anatomically related collapsed into standardized groups. Qualitatively, seizure events organized using this framework were better visually clustered compared to conventional schemes. Quantitatively, signals grouped by anatomical region were more similar to each other than electrode‐based groups as measured by Pearson correlation. Further, we uploaded visualizations of SEEG reconstructions into the electronic medical record, rendering them durably useful given the interpretable electrode labels. In conclusion, we demonstrate a standardized, anatomically grounded approach to the organization of SEEG neuroimaging and electrophysiology data that may enable improved communication among and across surgical epilepsy teams and promote a clearer view of individual seizure networks.

The United States Stereotactic EEG Survey: Current Practice and Future Opportunities

“…6 The first proposal for standardized nomenclature for SEEG applications has been published 7 and several publications have highlighted novel approaches to automated registration of SEEG electrodes and multimodal imaging integration. [8][9][10] There has also been increasing recognition of the learning curve related to SEEG and there are now calls to develop a training curriculum for robotic-assisted neurosurgery. 11 The publication of the first dedicated textbook in English on SEEG appeared recently 12 and numerous SEEG training courses are offered around the world.…”