Grady Health System will be the first hospital in Georgia to acquire Synaptive Medical’s BrightMatter™ technology. This innovative solution provides physicians at Grady visualization with unprecedented details of a patient’s brain for intervention in situations such as stroke or tumor. BrightMatter, a seamless integration of essential technologies, is designed to support efficient clinical decision making with advanced imaging, planning, navigation and robotic visualization.
BrightMatter uses a type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging, or DTI, to produce an image of the entire brain’s pathways. This occurs immediately after the MRI is complete and allows physicians to consider every possible approach. In a hospital like Grady where time is of the essence, immediate access to these details can make a significant impact on patients who may be diagnosed with a stroke or brain tumor.
“This technology brings the most advanced imaging system for neurosurgical planning and allows for minimally invasive surgical treatment of hemorrhages and tumors in deep locations of the brain that were previously deemed inoperable and will transform the way traditional neurosurgical procedures for brain and spine conditions are performed. The potential impact for patients is transformative and includes smaller incisions, shorter recovery times, and preservation of vital brain and spinal cord functions,” said Dr. Gustavo Pradilla, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery for Emory University Healthcare, and Chief of Neurosurgery for Grady Health System and Co-Director of the Grady Skull Base Surgery Center.
The brain is made up of millions of pathways in the white matter that connect key functional areas. BrightMatter supports a physician’s ability to see these pathways, which cannot be seen with the naked eye or a standard MRI. While physicians know anatomy of the brain, every patient is different. Crossing these pathways may result in complications and prevent a physician from considering surgery. BrightMatter brings hope to patients whose condition might have previously been considered inoperable.
