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Polaris Lyra: Transforming Optical Tracking

When clinicians use optical navigation technology to target specific areas in the body, such as the brain in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), it’s crucial that they can accurately identify brain areas to stimulate and then reproduce this stimulation across treatments with precision.

When integrated into an OEM medical device, clinicians can feel confident that our high-performance compact Polaris optical trackers will provide them with the necessary accuracy and precision. With a small footprint, short stand-off, and wide measurement volume, our Polaris optical navigation technology has become a trusted and reliable choice for optical navigation in confined spaces.

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Download our Case Study to learn more about how our Polaris optical tracking technology is used in the field today.

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ANT Neuro and NDI Partnership Provides Enhanced Reliability and Accuracy for Neuronavigated Brain Stimulation

ANT Neuro partners with NDI to bring high-quality tracking to the visor2™ neuronavigation solution

ANT Neuro specializes in being a single-source provider of high-performance products within neuroscience research and neurodiagnostics. Applications include electroencephalogram (EEG), electromyography (EMG), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology.

Using ANT Neuro products, functional brain information is fused with anatomical scans to gain insight into the working mechanisms of cognition and a variety of brain disorders. ANT’s technology offers a wide range of applications in cognitive neuroscience, neurology, and psychiatry.

ANT Neuro visor2 is the neuronavigation solution for the most advanced neuroscience research and accurate clinical therapy with non-invasive TMS in which NDI’s compact optical tracker, the Polaris Vicra®, is incorporated to bring in tracking precision.

Why TMS requires neuronavigation?

TMS is a noninvasive brain stimulation technique that uses electromagnetic pulses to stimulate specific areas of the cortex to treat a variety of neurological and mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, dementia, chronic pain, addiction treatment or Alzheimer disease. First developed in the early 1990s, TMS was approved by the FDA in 2008.

TMS works using the following principle: An electric pulse generator, or TMS stimulator, is connected to a stimulation coil, which in turn is positioned on the patient’s head. The TMS stimulator drives a changing electric current within the coil which creates a magnetic field; this field then induces a weak electrical current within the brain itself, producing the firing of groups of nerve cells. When TMS is applied repeatedly, it will progressively change brain activity.

TMS has several advantages, but this treatment method also has limits regarding the targeting of specific brain areas and the reproducibility of treatment over multiple sessions.

This is where the cooperation of ANT Neuro and NDI adds a special benefit through the combination of MRI-guided neuronavigation and ultra-precise optical tracking.

Revolutionizing TMS Therapy: ANT Neuro Partners with NDI to Improve TMS Accuracy

ANT Neuro’s visor2 is the complete neuronavigation solution for a navigated TMS (nTMS) lab. It allows clinicians to accurately identify brain areas to be stimulated and reproduce this stimulation across multiple sessions and operators. nTMS can also accurately map the functional organization of different brain functions, such as motor movement or language without invasion.

The NDI Polaris Vicra optical tracker, as part of the visor2 solution, allows clinicians to easily co-register the patient to their individual MRI data providing accurate real-time 3D information about the position of the TMS coil on the patient’s head, relative to the underlying cortical anatomy. This enables personalized TMS therapy with MRI-based neuronavigation to improve outcome and remission rate [1].

visor2 guides users with intuitive step-by-step workflows throughout the entire navigated TMS treatment session from patient data management to precise and reproducible targeting of the cortical treatment site throughout multiple treatment sessions. The TMS coil’s position, orientation, and rotation are important to ensure the energy from the TMS coil arrives at the right angle in the patient’s cortex. The visor2 neuronavigation solution allows clinicians to control and optimize for all these factors and provide the required precision and reproducibility.

Recently, ANT Neuro enhanced the visor2 solution with a new and modern robotized TMS Neuronavigation solution – vmove™. It allows for ultra-precise, automatic TMS coil positioning with active head movement compensation. This adds another layer of accuracy and ease of use to nTMS applications in combination with NDI optical tracking technology.

ANT visor2 – Neuronavigation for every application*

Components of visor2 system:

  • visor2 neuronavigation software
  • 24-inch AiO (All in One) touch PC
  • NDI Polaris Vicra optical tracker
  • Medical-grade, mobile cart
  • EMG amplifier with multiple EMG channels

[1] Fitzgerald, Paul & Hoy, Kate & McQueen, Susan & Maller, Jerome & Herring, Sally & Segrave, Rebecca & Bailey, Michael & Been, Greg & Kulkarni, Jayashri & Daskalakis, Zafiris. (2009). A Randomized Trial of rTMS Targeted with MRI Based Neuro-Navigation in Treatment-Resistant Depression. Neuropsychopharmacology: official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 34. 1255-62. 10.1038/npp.2008.233.

*visor2 system is CE marked as a medical device in the EU, according to MDD 93/42/EEC, class lla, and has FDA clearance under 510(k) in the USA. Medical Device License (MDL) issued by Health Canada. Compliant with the Australian TG(MD)R and registered in the ARTG. Manufactured by eemagine GmbH, Berlin, Germany, ISO 13485 certified. ANT Neuro and eemagine are part of the neuromotion group. For the regulatory status of visor2 outside of Australia, Canada, the EU, and the USA, please contact your local distributor or ANT representation. EEG-TMS, language mapping, and dual-coil navigation with visor2 is intended for research and educational use only.

Download the Case Study: Enhance TMS Precision with Polaris Optical Trackers

Presented by ANT Neuro and NDI

Achieve precise targeting in transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with Polaris optical trackers. Integrated into your OEM medical device, Polaris optical trackers ensure accurate and consistent brain area stimulation. Its compact design and wide measurement volume make it ideal for confined spaces. Download our brochure to learn more about enhancing your device with Polaris optical navigation.

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