Subspace electrode selection methodology for the reduction of the effect of uncertain conductivity values in the EEG dipole localization: a simulation study using a patient-specific head model

Abstract

The simulation of the electroencephalogram (EEG) using a realistic head model needs the correct conductivity values of several tissues. However, these values are not precisely known and have an influence on the accuracy of the EEG source analysis problem. This paper presents a novel numerical methodology for the increase of accuracy of the EEG dipole source localization problem. The presented subspace electrode selection (SES) methodology is able to limit the effect of uncertain conductivity values on the solution of the EEG inverse problem, yielding improved source localization accuracy. We redefine the traditional cost function associated with the EEG inverse problem and introduce a selection procedure of EEG potentials. In each iteration of the presented EEG cost function minimization procedure, potentials are selected that are affected as little as possible by the uncertain conductivity value. Using simulation data, the proposed SES methodology is able to enhance the neural source localization accuracy dependent on the dipole location, the assumed versus actual conductivity and the possible noise in measurements.