# Diversity Supplement for Tran: High-resolution Infrared Thermal Imaging (ITI) for Simultaneous Functional Mapping of the Entire Craniotomy in Awake Patients

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $60,798

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Functional activation of the cerebral cortex creates a robust increase in local temperature by increasing blood
flow and metabolism because of neurovascular coupling. Changes in surface brain temperature while an awake
patient performs a motor, sensory, or language task can be used to infer spatial patterns of activity to create
functional maps. Awake neurosurgery is used in the management of drug-resistant epilepsy, glioma, and
neurovascular malformation, in order to localize seizure and/or physiologic activity. Protection of key functional
areas is imperative to avoiding postoperative neurologic deficits. Currently, direct electrical stimulation (DES) is
the most commonly used method of intraoperative surgical mapping, which identifies functionally critical brain
regions so they are not resected. However, DES has low spatial resolution (~1 cm), may provoke seizures, and
can only test one area at a time. This project investigates a new method of intraoperative functional mapping
based on infrared thermography, which has high resolution (~100 micron) and simultaneously monitors the
entire exposed brain surface without risk for seizures. The Intraoperative Mapping System will be developed
and tested on glioma patients, as tumors have relatively static impact on brain temperature compared to
epileptogenic foci and vascular malformations. Preliminary data in motor and language mapping cases shows
large (~0.5oC) positive thermal activation of contralateral motor cortex and language regions that have strong
agreement with DES. Aim 1 will develop a mapping system (hardware and software) required to conduct real-
time thermal-based brain mapping during awake craniotomy. We will optimize and integrate the infrared
recording procedure within the surgical workflow, to maximize signal quality while minimizing treatment
interference. The central piece is a mobile cart containing a powerful workstation and an articulating arm to
locate the IR camera over the craniotomy. The computer will deliver stimuli, monitor and collect behavioral data
(audio, video, and a wireless haptic glove), record the IR images, and display the real-time functional map.
Patient tasks currently used during DES will be adapted for thermographic recording. Aim 2 will explore the
temporal and spatial properties of the thermodynamic response to optimize the infrared mapping procedure.
The thermal response function (TRF) is the thermal equivalent of the hemodynamic response function (HRF)
that is used in fMRI. Through modeling and high resolution (spatial and temporal) IR data, we will estimate the
thermal impulse response and use it to develop an efficient multi-task mapping protocol. The result will be a
rapid, efficient, high resolution assessment of brain function to optimize the resection and improve patient
outcomes. Aim 3 will compare the functional mapping methods (DES and infrared thermal imaging) to determine
optimal synergy between them to provide the best infor...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11090776
- **Project number:** 3R01NS116190-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** TODD B PARRISH
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $60,798
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-12-01 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11090776

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11090776, Diversity Supplement for Tran: High-resolution Infrared Thermal Imaging (ITI) for Simultaneous Functional Mapping of the Entire Craniotomy in Awake Patients (3R01NS116190-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11090776. Licensed CC0.

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