The planning of neurosurgical operations: methods and criteria for determining the safest tool trajectory from the skull surface to the tumour

Methods of surgical plan determination are the topic of this paper. Neurosurgical operations are especially dangerous because of the risk of damage important areas in the brain. Results of such damage can be patient's death or loss of health. The finding of the safest tool trajectory from skull surface to tumour is the goal of operation plan. This trajectory should allow access to tumour located in deep parts of the brain and avoid zones which damage is especially dangerous. Security criteria used to determine optimal trajectory of surgical tool tip are presented an compared in this paper. Stages of plan development and mathematical formulas are described. Simulation tests of proposed methods were performed on exemplary models and results are presented in this paper.