Abstract
The optimization performed in this study is based on the finite dimensions model of the concentric ring electrode as opposed to the negligible dimensions model used in the past. This makes the optimization problem comprehensive, as all of the electrode parameters including, for the first time, the radius of the central disc and individual widths of concentric rings, are optimized simultaneously. The optimization criterion used is maximizing the accuracy of the surface Laplacian estimation, as the ability to estimate the Laplacian at each electrode constitutes primary biomedical significance of concentric ring electrodes. For tripolar concentric ring electrodes, the optimal configuration was compared to previously proposed linearly increasing inter-ring distances and constant inter-ring distances configurations of the same size and based on the same finite dimensions model. The obtained analytic results suggest that previously proposed configurations correspond to almost two-fold and more than three-fold increases in the Laplacian estimation error compared with the optimal configuration proposed in this study, respectively. These analytic results are confirmed using finite element method modeling, which was adapted to the finite dimensions model of the concentric ring electrode for the first time. Moreover, the finite element method modeling results suggest that optimal electrode configuration may also offer improved sensitivity and spatial resolution.
Highlights
Concentric ring electrodes (CREs; tripolar configuration shown in Figure 1, panel A) are noninvasive electrodes for electrophysiological measurement with primary biomedical significance tied to their ability to accurately estimate the Laplacian at each electrode which is not feasible with conventional disc electrodes (Figure 1, panel B)
The results obtained in this study are important, as they have the potential to influence the design of future CREs and could not have been obtained with simplistic negligible dimensions model (NDM)
Confirmation of the analytic results using FEM modeling further suggests the potential of the optimal tripolar CRE (TCRE) configuration proposed in this study in particular, as well as the potential of the FDM-based comprehensive optimization of the CRE design targeting maximizing the accuracy of the surface Laplacian estimation in general
Summary
Concentric ring electrodes (CREs; tripolar configuration shown in Figure 1, panel A) are noninvasive electrodes for electrophysiological measurement with primary biomedical significance tied to their ability to accurately estimate the Laplacian (second spatial derivative of the surface potential) at each electrode which is not feasible with conventional disc electrodes (Figure 1, panel B). Concentric ring electrodes (CREs; tripolar configuration shown, panel A) are noninvasive electrodes for electrophysiological measurement with primary biomedical significance tied to their ability to accurately estimate the Laplacian (second spatial derivative of the surface potential) at each electrode which is not feasible with conventional disc electrodes (Figure 1, panel B). This ability entails enhanced spatial resolution and a better capability to differentiate the activity of dipole sources in different areas [1]. Previous results on improving the Laplacian estimation accuracy via CRE optimization were based on NDM [15,16,17]
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