P. Kauppinen et al., A software implementation for detailed volume conductor modelling in electrophysiology using finite difference method, COMPUT M PR, 58(2), 1999, pp. 191-203
There is an evolving need for new information available by employing patien
t tailored anatomically accurate computer models of the electrical properti
es of the human body. Because construction of a computer model can be diffi
cult and laborious to perform sufficiently well, devised models have varied
greatly in the level of anatomical accuracy incorporated in them. This has
restricted the validity of conducted simulations. In the present study, a
versatile software package was developed to transform anatomic voxel data i
nto accurate finite difference method volume conductor models conveniently
and in a short time. The package includes components for model construction
, simulation, visualisation and detailed analysis of simulation output base
d on volume conductor theory. Due to the methods developed, models can comp
rise more anatomical details than the prior computer models. Several models
have been constructed, for example, a highly detailed 3-D anatomically acc
urate computer model of the human thorax as a volume conductor utilising th
e US National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Visible Human Man (VHM) digital a
natomy data. Based on the validation runs the developed software package is
readily applicable in analysis of a wide range of bioelectric field proble
ms. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.