Experimental Verification of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Using Newly Developed Brain Phantom

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a promising and non-invasive technique for diagnostics and treatments of variousneurological diseases [1]–[3]. However, the lack of realistic and anatomical brain phantoms made the examination of induced electric fields on the brain tissues to be not well established and measured. We have developed a 3-D anatomically realistic brain phantom that can mimics the electrical conduction the brain. To produce the phantom, we 3-D printed shells for each tissue layer of the brain. Brain tissues are divided mainly into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), white matter (WM), grey matter (GM), ventricles, and cerebellum. These layers are made into shells and after 3D printing them, they are filled with a conductive material multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) that is capable of mimicking the electrical conductive properties of different brain tissues. The phantom will be examined under different TMS parameters and compared with FEM modelling of induced electric and magnetic fields. Microelectrodes will be placed at different locations/depths on the phantom to measure the current I and resistance Ω. Since the phantom exhibits same electrical properties of the brain, close readings to actual TMS procedures is expected to be achieved.