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Biomagnetic methodologies for the non-invasive investigation of the human brain

Objective

MAGNOBRAIN strictly concerns the analysis and interpretation of Medical Signals. The activities it has undertaken:

- Provide an integrated view of medical signals by correlating MEG and EMF information with CT and MRI images and "functionally image" the brain.
- Aim at improving neuromagnetic signal acquisition and processing through proper software tool development.
- Are establishing reference libraries of normal/abnormal signal values and ranges.
- Are developing a "Deep Knowledge" framework for biomagnetic signal interpretation.

Main objectives

The objective of MAGNOBRAIN is to integrate the disciplines of Magnetoen-cephalography (MEG) and of Evoked Magnetic Fields of the brain (EMF), with MRI and the EEG. The necessary transeuropean cooperation, includes:

- Comparison of results obtained in different laboratories, (ASTON University, University of TWENTE, University of Erlangen)
- Improvement of the mathematical and computational models presently used,
- Development of databases containing both important a priori information that will lead to more accurate and reliable mathematical treatment of biomagnetic data
- Development of normative databases that will enable the uniform interpretation of neuromagnetic diagnostic findings.

Technical approach

The localisation problem and alternative approaches to functional biomagnetic imaging.

The three-dimensional localisation and strength of a current generator can be inferred quite accurately from MEG/EEG measurements, if:

- The source is simple (e.g. a single localised source).
- The head can be modelled as a sphere with the brain, cerebro-spinal fluid, skull and scalp represented as uniform concentric layers of different conductivities.

The last few years a number of distributed source solutions have also been developed some of those yielding the expected value of the primary current density over a well defined region of space.

MAGNOBRAIN is presently gearing up to compare these two methodologies across a wide spectrum of neurological disease and brain disfunction:

Maximal use of a priori for obtaining realistic forward and inverse solutions.

Medical interpretation of signals and images is based on a wealth of a priori information that is usually not available from the signal or the image itself. A practitioner interpreting an MRI image knows, for example, that what appears as cortical grey matter in the image consists of neurones arranged in very orderly manner, information like this is widely dispersed in literature but available. A major proportion of it also exists in a rather quantified manner making it possible to elaborate on a realistic geometry approach to head models and include such parameters as the density and orientation (where applicable ) of neurones in the cortex. Such a-priori information is the subject matter of the Brain Data Base (BDB) which will be made available to the participating groups when completed.

Normative data collection: bridging the gap between physical theory and medical practice.

In order to establish an imaging technique as a tool of diagnostic value it is necessary to extract patterns from the available data that are characteristically and systematically altered by disease. This was already apparent from early from early EEG studies and has become even more apparent in the case of EEG topography.

MAGNOBRAIN is collecting extensive normative data sets on Epilepsy, Acute Optic Neuritis and Multiple Sclerosis and Optic Neuropathy.

Combined research on MEG and MRI

MRI and MEG can be combined in the study of epilepsy. In a considerable fraction of patients, MRI detection of the site of origin of epileptic discharges is based on the accompanying atrophy of the hippocampus. In return, for simple source geometries, the MEG localisation ability may provide new interpretations for MRI data.

Bringing it all together: building a normative database for MEG/EMF interpretation

The final and most important step of MAGNOBRAIN will be the organisation of this material into a sophisticated on-line relational database of reference material.

Key issues:

- The large volumes of data that biomagnetic investigations generate, require a very substantial computational manipulation before they can be presented in a format that may be useful to the clinician.
- A standard interpretative framework is needed
- Presentation formats must be totally compatible with other information the clinician has at his disposal, e.g. CT or MRI pictures, if Biomagnetism is to attain its full potential as a non invasive diagnostic tool.

All these require a very substantial expenditure of effort for the development of the necessary informatics tools which will integrate Biomagnetism with the rest of the existing high-tech diagnostic methodologies and establish its value as a diagnostic methodology beyond any reasonable doubt.

Relationship to previous work:

MAGNOBRAIN is seen as a convergence point of the Neuromagnetic research performed up to now by the participating laboratories.

Expected impact:

MAGNOBRAIN is the culmination of common efforts to advance the status of Biomagnetism in Europe and maintain the European lead in this field. The participants aspire to make a major contribution to the advancement of the state of the art in Neuromagnetism in the 1990's, which has been named the "Decade of the Brian". MAGNOBRAIN's impact will be:

- To make Biomagnetism a clinical/diagnostic tool instead of a basic science investigative methodology.
- To introduce proper informatics environments, tools and methodologies and thus encapsulate the wealth of information that Biomagnetism provides about the function of the human body.

Relationship to other projects and actions:

Europe has leading role in Biomagnetism. This is due:

- To national research efforts:

Biomagnetism enjoys National Research Project status in Italy, Germany and Finland and large scale state-of-art facilities exist in a number of locations in these countries.
- To the strategic support afforded for the field of Biomagnetism by the EC:

Biomagnetism is the subject of a European Concerted Action (DG XIII/COMAC-BME)
Biomagnetism is the subject of a COMETT II University Enterprise Training Partnership (BIOTRAST - U.E.T.P)

- Substantial EC investment will be made through the STRIDE programme for the Mezzogiorno region in Italy on a major centre for Biomagnetism.

Testbed and verification:

Once the MAGNOBRAIN database is assembled, different models, solutions and interpretations could be validated against the same set of normative data and compared with each other.

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Coordinator

METROPOLIS INFORMATICS LTD
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Address
3 Stratigou Kallari Street
54622 Thessaloniki
Greece

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Last update: 23 June 1994

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/A2020

European Union, 2024