The NeuroStation--a highly accurate, minimally invasive solution to frameless stereotactic neurosurgery

Abstract

The NeuroStation is an image-guided neurosurgery workstation designed to deliver frameless stereotaxy within an ergonomic, integrated surgical environment. Generally, stereotaxy can provide the neurosurgeon with important intra-operative localization information using diagnostic images such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). To date, however, stereotaxy has not been widely accepted by neurosurgeons due to the procedural difficulties of incorporating conventional stereotaxy. The NeuroStation addresses the problems of conventional stereotaxy through the use of frameless stereotactic methods wherein state-of-the-art instrumentation and computer innovations allow: a) standard surgical instruments to be used as the localization device; b) multipoint registration methods in place of frame-based registration; and c) real-time interactive surgical localization. The NeuroStation can thus be transparently integrated into the neurosurgical procedure providing the neurosurgeon with image-guidance for surgical planning, biopsies, craniotomies, endoscopy, intra-operative ultrasound, radiation therapy, etc.