INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Synaptive Medical Inc. announced today that Indiana University Health has acquired the BrightMatter™ technology, making it the first hospital system in Indiana to offer this technology to patients. BrightMatter is a full solution that supports physicians in the diagnosis and intervention of complex brain surgery with advanced imaging, planning, surgical navigation and robotic visualization.
Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, supported by Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, is home to one of the largest neuroscience programs in the country and will be the location of this innovative technology. IU Health is the only institution in Indiana to achieve national ranking for neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News and World Report.
“Performing brain surgery can be a risky procedure; optimal outcomes require precise navigation and accurate visualization of exactly where we are in the brain,” said Dr. Mitesh Shah, President of Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery IU School of Medicine. “The challenge in doing such procedures with navigation in delicate tissue is having the confidence that all of the presurgical imaging has no margin of error and a surgeon’s physical working environment is not compromised.”
BrightMatter uses a type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging, or DTI, to produce an image of the entire brain’s pathways, also known as tracts. This process allows physicians to consider every possible approach. In the operating room, physicians have a 3D view of the patient’s pathways and can navigate around critical structures. A hands-free robotic arm with a camera attached follows the physician’s tools and shows an image of the patient’s anatomy with unprecedented detail. The arm also facilitates a more ergonomically-friendly environment for the physician, collaboration with all providers in the room, and less surgical time without the need to manipulate cumbersome optics.
“Synaptive brings a solution that allows surgeons to evaluate and perform the most critical aspects of complex neurosurgery, from visualization to ergonomics,” said Dr. Shah. “The history of our group was built on a foundation of true collaboration with providers: BrightMatter is a natural fit for this model from the presurgical image acquisition to operating room efficiency. The system allows everyone involved in the operating room to be able to visualize the surgical field with unparalleled field and depth of view.”
