I-Corps: An Integrated Hardware/Software System to Predict Cognitive Outcome in Neurosurgery Patients

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to create a turn-key software platform, that supports cognitive behavioral testing of patients with brain lesions, integrates maps of brain function and structure with the results of behavioral testing, and returns real-time actionable predictions about patient outcome to clinicians. This software platform will be developed in the specific niche of awake craniotomies - neurosurgical procedures where the patient is not under anesthesia for part of the surgery in order that s/he can participate in cognitive testing. By developing this technology in the setting of awake craniotomies (~2,000/year at 200 major US medical centers), it is possible to identify the most informative data to improve real-time predictive models about long-term patient outcome. While the predictive analytics at the heart of this platform eventually will be tested for generalization in a wider range of clinical populations (e.g., stroke) development within the neurosurgery market capitalizes on the projected growth of this market from $13B in 2016 to $27B by 2026 (with an 8.2% compound annual growth rate). This technology will provide clinicians with quantitative predictions about future cognitive function in patients, allowing doctors to increase the likelihood of successful treatment while protecting a higher quality of life in patient outcome.This I-Corps project will support a deeper understanding of the clinical market and where and how the proposed technology can address impediments currently faced by neurosurgical teams when managing complex cases. During the I-Corps program, the goal is to speak with a variety of potential customers, users, influencers and recommenders who the technology may touch, including: neurosurgeons, neuro-anesthesiologists, neurologists, neuropsychologists, neurophysiologists, neuro-radiologists, physician assistants, nurses, technical staff, patients and hospital purchasing administrators. Ultimately, this technology holds tremendous potential to change neurosurgical practice by providing surgeons with real-time insights in the operating room about a patient's future quality of life. A prototype of the software platform has been piloted with 35 patients across 3 surgeons at a single major US medical center. A key goal of the this I-Corps project is to understand differences across medical centers and clinicians in workflow and how different clinicians manage the specific challenges that can arise during awake craniotomy procedures. This is critical for developing a product that is agile and robust and which can be integrated with existing clinical protocols across the country to support personalized predictions of patient outcome.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.