More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann Areas

Electroencephalography (EEG) and source estimation can be used to identify brain areas activated during a task, which could offer greater insight on cortical dynamics. Source estimation requires knowledge of the locations of the EEG electrodes. This could be provided with a template or obtained by d...

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Main Authors: Seyed Yahya Shirazi, Helen J. Huang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Neuroscience
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2019.01159/full
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author Seyed Yahya Shirazi
Helen J. Huang
author_facet Seyed Yahya Shirazi
Helen J. Huang
author_sort Seyed Yahya Shirazi
collection DOAJ
description Electroencephalography (EEG) and source estimation can be used to identify brain areas activated during a task, which could offer greater insight on cortical dynamics. Source estimation requires knowledge of the locations of the EEG electrodes. This could be provided with a template or obtained by digitizing the EEG electrode locations. Operator skill and inherent uncertainties of a digitizing system likely produce a range of digitization reliabilities, which could affect source estimation and the interpretation of the estimated source locations. Here, we compared the reliabilities of five digitizing methods (ultrasound, structured-light 3D scan, infrared 3D scan, motion capture probe, and motion capture) and determined the relationship between digitization reliability and source estimation uncertainty, assuming other contributors to source estimation uncertainty were constant. We digitized a mannequin head using each method five times and quantified the reliability and validity of each method. We created five hundred sets of electrode locations based on our reliability results and applied a dipole fitting algorithm (DIPFIT) to perform source estimation. The motion capture method, which recorded the locations of markers placed directly on the electrodes had the best reliability with an average electrode variability of 0.001 cm. Then, in order of decreasing reliability were the method using a digitizing probe in the motion capture system, an infrared 3D scanner, a structured-light 3D scanner, and an ultrasound digitization system. Unsurprisingly, uncertainty of the estimated source locations increased with greater variability of EEG electrode locations and less reliable digitizing systems. If EEG electrode location variability was ∽1 cm, a single source could shift by as much as 2 cm. To help translate these distances into practical terms, we quantified Brodmann area accuracy for each digitizing method and found that the average Brodmann area accuracy for all digitizing methods was >80%. Using a template of electrode locations reduced the Brodmann area accuracy to ∽50%. Overall, more reliable digitizing methods can reduce source estimation uncertainty, but the significance of the source estimation uncertainty depends on the desired spatial resolution. For accurate Brodmann area identification, any of the digitizing methods tested can be used confidently.
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spelling doaj.art-d4d00587629c4ec885d9e1666c929f262022-12-22T03:44:40ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neuroscience1662-453X2019-11-011310.3389/fnins.2019.01159457857More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann AreasSeyed Yahya ShiraziHelen J. HuangElectroencephalography (EEG) and source estimation can be used to identify brain areas activated during a task, which could offer greater insight on cortical dynamics. Source estimation requires knowledge of the locations of the EEG electrodes. This could be provided with a template or obtained by digitizing the EEG electrode locations. Operator skill and inherent uncertainties of a digitizing system likely produce a range of digitization reliabilities, which could affect source estimation and the interpretation of the estimated source locations. Here, we compared the reliabilities of five digitizing methods (ultrasound, structured-light 3D scan, infrared 3D scan, motion capture probe, and motion capture) and determined the relationship between digitization reliability and source estimation uncertainty, assuming other contributors to source estimation uncertainty were constant. We digitized a mannequin head using each method five times and quantified the reliability and validity of each method. We created five hundred sets of electrode locations based on our reliability results and applied a dipole fitting algorithm (DIPFIT) to perform source estimation. The motion capture method, which recorded the locations of markers placed directly on the electrodes had the best reliability with an average electrode variability of 0.001 cm. Then, in order of decreasing reliability were the method using a digitizing probe in the motion capture system, an infrared 3D scanner, a structured-light 3D scanner, and an ultrasound digitization system. Unsurprisingly, uncertainty of the estimated source locations increased with greater variability of EEG electrode locations and less reliable digitizing systems. If EEG electrode location variability was ∽1 cm, a single source could shift by as much as 2 cm. To help translate these distances into practical terms, we quantified Brodmann area accuracy for each digitizing method and found that the average Brodmann area accuracy for all digitizing methods was >80%. Using a template of electrode locations reduced the Brodmann area accuracy to ∽50%. Overall, more reliable digitizing methods can reduce source estimation uncertainty, but the significance of the source estimation uncertainty depends on the desired spatial resolution. For accurate Brodmann area identification, any of the digitizing methods tested can be used confidently.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2019.01159/fullelectrocortical dynamicselectrode position3D scanningsource localizationspatial accuracyindependent component analysis (ICA)
spellingShingle Seyed Yahya Shirazi
Helen J. Huang
More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann Areas
Frontiers in Neuroscience
electrocortical dynamics
electrode position
3D scanning
source localization
spatial accuracy
independent component analysis (ICA)
title More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann Areas
title_full More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann Areas
title_fullStr More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann Areas
title_full_unstemmed More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann Areas
title_short More Reliable EEG Electrode Digitizing Methods Can Reduce Source Estimation Uncertainty, but Current Methods Already Accurately Identify Brodmann Areas
title_sort more reliable eeg electrode digitizing methods can reduce source estimation uncertainty but current methods already accurately identify brodmann areas
topic electrocortical dynamics
electrode position
3D scanning
source localization
spatial accuracy
independent component analysis (ICA)
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2019.01159/full
work_keys_str_mv AT seyedyahyashirazi morereliableeegelectrodedigitizingmethodscanreducesourceestimationuncertaintybutcurrentmethodsalreadyaccuratelyidentifybrodmannareas
AT helenjhuang morereliableeegelectrodedigitizingmethodscanreducesourceestimationuncertaintybutcurrentmethodsalreadyaccuratelyidentifybrodmannareas