IMPROVED METHOD FOR COMPUTATION OF POTENTIALS IN A REALISTIC HEAD SHAPE MODEL

The Lead Field Analysis (LFA) algorithm, a new computational technique for the calculation of potentials on the surface of a realistic head shaped volume conductor model based on the Boundary Element Method and the Reciprocity Theorem, is presented. The new algorithm, in comparis on to the Standard Boundary Element Method, offers improved computatio nal efficiency and lower storage requirements. It also yields more acc urate surface potential results in the face of varying dipole source l ocations for a head shape Boundary Element model with a given number o f nodes. Additionally, the algorithm results in quasi-analytic express ions of the derivatives of the surface potential with respect to the l ocation of the sources, allowing the use of optimization techniques wi th better convergence properties. A set of simulations demonstrating t he increased robustness of the LFA Algorithm in the face of varying di pole source parameters is also described.