Construct and face validity of the educational computer-based environment (ECE) assessment scenarios for basic endoneurosurgery skills.

Background: In neurosurgery education, there is a paradigm shift from time-based training to criterion-based model for which competency and assessment becomes very critical. Even virtual reality simulators provide alternatives to improve education and assessment in neurosurgery programs and allow for several objective assessment measures, there are not many tools for assessing the overall performance of trainees. This study aims to develop and validate a tool for assessing the overall performance of participants in a simulation-based endoneurosurgery training environment.

Three-dimensional visualization with large data sets: a simulation of spreading cortical depression in human brain.

We developed 3D simulation software of human organs/tissues; we developed a database to store the related data, a data management system to manage the created data, and a metadata system for the management of data. This approach provides two benefits: first of all the developed system does not require to keep the patient's/subject's medical images on the system, providing less memory usage. Besides the system also provides 3D simulation and modification options, which will help clinicians to use necessary tools for visualization and modification operations.

Single camera photogrammetry system for EEG electrode identification and localization.

In this study, photogrammetric coordinate measurement and color-based identification of EEG electrode positions on the human head are simultaneously implemented. A rotating, 2MP digital camera about 20 cm above the subject's head is used and the images are acquired at predefined stop points separated azimuthally at equal angular displacements. In order to realize full automation, the electrodes have been labeled by colored circular markers and an electrode recognition algorithm has been developed.

An experimental study on the effect of the anisotropic regions in a realistically shaped torso phantom.

Determination of electrically active regions in the human body by observing generated bioelectric and/or biomagnetic signals is known as source reconstruction. In the reconstruction process, it is assumed that the volume conductor consists of isotropic compartments and homogeneous tissue bioelectric parameters but this assumption introduces errors when the tissue of interest is anisotropic. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the measured signal strengths and the estimated positions and orientations of current dipoles in a realistically shaped torso phantom having a heart region built from single guar gum skeins.