Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive disease of the basal ganglia (gray matter). The globus pallidus is one such mass that lies deep within the brain and is surrounded by white matter. A pallidotomy surgery involves inserting a thin probe into the globus pallidus and creating a small lesion with radio frequency current. These lesions help relieve the tremors associated with PD. Precise mapping of the globus pallidus border is essential. A lesion miscalculation could cause permanent damage, such as blindness or paralysis. Currently, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to identify aberrant locations prior to surgery. However, these tools are not sufficient for safe localization due to anatomic variations, and they are unavailable during the operation. It would be desirable to have portable, real-time display equipment available in the operating room for quick, simple and accurate lesion localization.

© 1998 Optical Society of America