A new surgical decision-support technology marks a significant advancement in how brain surgeons plan and perform complex tumour surgery.
Built on decades of neuroscience and neurosurgical research, MindTrace helps surgical teams predict how different approaches might impact speech, movement, and other vital functions.
The University of Rochester Medical Centre (URMC) is already employing the technology, utilising advanced brain-mapping tools in the operating room to combine real-time imaging and cognitive data to guide precise tumour removal.
URMC neurosurgeon Tyler Schmidt, surgical director of the Metastatic Brain and Spinal Tumour Program at the Wilmot Cancer Institute, said: ‘This technology will enable us to see, in real time, how different surgical decisions could influence a patient’s future brain function. It integrates various types of data that are already collected about these patients, providing immediate feedback during surgery so that our decisions are based on the best possible evidence.’
MindTrace’s origins lie at the University of Rochester, where cognitive neuroscientist Brad Mahon and Webster H Pilcher, chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, established the Translational Brain Mapping Program.
Their collaborative research focused on applying tools from cognitive and brain sciences to support and improve complex neurosurgical procedures.
Pilcher, chair of Neurosurgery at URMC, said: ‘Every brain surgery is an opportunity to learn something new about how the mind is organised. MindTrace grew directly out of that philosophy. It transforms what we’ve learned in the lab into practical tools that enhance patient care in the OR.’
By integrating multiple streams of information – including functional MRI, brain stimulation mapping and neuropsychological testing – URMC surgical teams can visualise brain function in real time.
Surgeons can replay stimulation trials, verify brain mapping locations, and quickly evaluate the potential consequences of removing additional tissue.
Recent research published in Science Advances by the team demonstrates how detailed measures of patient performance during surgery can be used to improve outcomes in brain surgery.
The technology assists clinicians in optimising care decisions and helps patients better understand their surgeries and expected post-operative recovery.
MindTrace forms part of URMC’s broader, multidisciplinary approach to brain tumour and epilepsy treatment.
With additional support from the NIH and the NSF, URMC teams are now collaborating with MindTrace to further develop machine learning capabilities that can offer real-time risk assessment and predictive modelling during surgery.
