Computational analysis for non-invasive acquisition of craniospinal compliance

Abstract

Diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of patients suffering from craniospinal diseases requires the measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP). Several measurement methods have been developed, but currently only invasive techniques are sufficiently reliable to be clinically accepted. As brain geometry and dielectric properties are transiently modulated by blood and cerebrospinal fluid exchange between cranial and spinal compartments, impedance measurements may be used to monitor ICP non-invasively. In this paper, we present a numerically robust and computationally efficient method for simulating pulsation-related impedance changes of the head. The approach was verified in (semi-)analytic benchmarks and applied to real data from volunteers.