Non-linear Intraoperative Correction of Brain Shift with 1.5 T Data

Intraoperative brain deformation (brain shift) induces a decrease in accuracy of neuronavigation systems during surgery. In order to compensate for occurring deformation of brain tissue, registration of time-shifted MR image sequences has to be conducted. In this paper we present a practical application of a novel approach for non-linear registration of medical images. The algorithm has been already tested with 0.2 T data. In this work we have performed a comprehensive comparative registration study with pairs of preand intraoperative 1.5 T scans of brain tumor patients. Additionally, a new system for data visualization was developed, which was specifically designed for the purpose of intraoperative inspection.