Brain navigation lead

Abstract

A brain navigation device, comprising:a lead with an elongated lead body;at least one macro-electrode contact positioned on an outer surface on the lead;wherein the at least one macro-electrode contact is located at the distal part of said lead;and wherein the at least one macro-electrode contact is configured to be used during lead navigation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for inferring at least one trajectory inside a brain tissue, comprising:
 recording a plurality of signals from said brain tissue by electrodes positioned at different spatial locations inside the brain and along the insertion trajectory of a lead;   analyzing said signals by functionally mapping brain tissue surrounding said insertion trajectory;   inferring at least one additional axis shifted trajectory or part of an additional axis shifted trajectory at a distance from said insertion trajectory based on said functionally mapping;   delivering an indication during or after said recording regarding said inferred at least one additional trajectory.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said delivering comprises delivering said indication with a location of the at least one additional axis shifted trajectory. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said delivering comprises delivering an indication for a more effective alternative trajectory. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said analyzing comprises calculating a series of functional tags based on the recorded plurality of signals, and associating each functional tag of the series of functional tags to a depth position along the insertion trajectory. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 4 , wherein said inferring comprises calculating functional tags associated with said at least one additional axis shifted trajectory or said part of an additional trajectory using signals recorded from a specific combination of said electrodes of said lead. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least one additional axis shifted trajectory comprises a plurality of additional axis shifted trajectories, each with different associated functional tags for a similar depth position. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said analyzing comprising separately analyzing each of said plurality of signals, and wherein said inferring comprising inferring a plurality of axially-shifted trajectories in a distance of at least 0.5 mm from said lead. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising updating an insertion step size of said lead based on said functionally mapping of said brain tissue following said analyzing. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said recording comprising recording directional signals from sources located inside the brain in a distance of at least 0.2 mm from a measuring electrode on said lead. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said analyzing comprising analyzing said plurality of signals in a single multi-channel model by a multi-channel algorithm, and wherein inferring comprising inferring a single trajectory based on the results of said multi-channel algorithm. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said recording comprises recording a plurality of directional signals by at least one micro-electrode contact and at least one macro-electrode contact of said electrodes of said lead. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of signals comprises a plurality of directional signals, and wherein said recording comprises recording said plurality of directional signals by at least one micro-electrode contact and at least one macro-electrode contact of said lead. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of signals comprises a plurality of directional signals, and wherein said recording comprises recording said plurality of directional signals by at least two micro-electrode contacts or at least two macro-electrode contacts, of said lead. 
     
     
         14 . A brain navigation system, comprising:
 a lead having an elongated lead body with a distal end shaped to penetrate into brain tissue, comprising at least two electrodes located at different angular positions on a circumference of said elongated lead body, wherein said at least two electrodes are configured to record directional electrical signals from brain tissue surrounding said lead during navigation of said lead along an insertion trajectory;   a control system electrically connected to said lead, wherein said control system is configured to: receive said directional electrical signals from said at least two electrodes;   analyze said received directional electrical signals to functionally map said brain tissue during navigation of said lead, based on said recorded electrical signals; and   infer at least one additional axis shifted trajectory or part of an additional axis shifted trajectory at a distance from said insertion trajectory based on said functionally mapping;   a display, wherein said display delivers an indication with a location of said at least one additional axis shifted trajectory or said part of an additional axis-shifted trajectory.   
     
     
         15 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein said delivered indication comprises a location of said inferred at least one additional axis shifted trajectory or said part of an additional axis shifted trajectory. 
     
     
         16 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein said control system analyzes the received directional electrical signals by calculating a series of functional tags and infers said at least one additional trajectory or part of said additional trajectory by associating said series of functional tags with different depth locations along said at least one additional trajectory. 
     
     
         17 . A system according to  claim 16 , wherein said at least one additional axis shifted trajectory comprises a plurality of additional axis shifted trajectories, and wherein said control system infers said plurality of additional axis shifted trajectories by associates different functional tags of said calculated functional tags for a similar depth position for each of said plurality of additional axis shifted trajectories. 
     
     
         18 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein said at least two electrodes comprise at least two macro-electrode contacts or at least two micro-electrodes. 
     
     
         19 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein said at least two electrodes comprise at least one micro-electrode and at least one macro-electrode contact located at different angular positions on an outer surface of said lead body. 
     
     
         20 . A system according to  claim 14 , wherein said at least one additional axis-shifted trajectory is an axis shifted trajectory inferred at a distance of at least 0.5 mm from said electrodes.