iMind - Innovative medical imaging for neurological disorders

About

Epilepsy is a frequently observed neurological disorder that is characterized by repeated epileptic seizures. These seizures are characterized by a sudden and unexpected change of the behavior and/or the consciousness of the patient as a result of excessive and uncontrolled electrical activity in a well-defined region in the cerebral cortex (the so-called epileptogenic zone). By placing electrodes using a standardized setup on the scalp surface, one can measure the electrical or magnetic fields generated by brain activity during an epileptic event.

Novel treatment options have emerged from the experimental field, which involve the stimulation of a specific brain region, deep brain stimulation (DBS), or vagal nerve, vagal nerve stimulation (VNS). However, the mechanism of action of these procedures is unknown and the efficacity of the treatment can be improved.

Within the iMIND project a software platform will be developed that entails better information, coregistration, comparison and more user-friendly visualization. The task of MICT includes an impact analysis and adoption potential assessment of the developed software framework, studied by means of an iterative qualitative and quantitative research approach. It will assess the drivers and barriers that exist for neurologists, neurosurgeons and other related specialists.

Duration of the project

The project runs from 01/10/2009 - 30/09/2011.

Staff involved

• dr. Laurence Hauttekeete
• Dimitri Schuurman
• Karel Verbrugge

Clusters

• ICT & Society

Financed by

• iMinds