New brain-mapping tool may improve DBS surgery for Parkinson’s

Surgeons and neurologists treating Parkinson’s disease now have a clearer, more personalized window into the human brain, thanks to a newly cleared software tool that maps surgical implants and brain pathways.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance to Omniscient Neurotechnology for Quicktome Deep Brain (DB), a specialized workflow within its existing Quicktome brain-mapping platform.

Designed to extend the platform’s analysis into deep brain stimulation (DBS) — a surgical treatment for Parkinson’s and other movement disorders — Quicktome DB uses a patient’s MRI scans to precisely locate implanted DBS leads, identify targeted deep brain structures, and map the neural pathways connecting them. This personalized view gives surgical and clinical teams a shared map to guide lead placement during surgery and assist with ongoing stimulation adjustments during follow-up care.

This latest clearance expands on previous FDA approvals for Omniscient’s original Quicktome platform in 2021 and its Functional Connectome workflow in 2023.

“This is our third FDA clearance, and each one advances the same strategy: build the connectomic platform that becomes the standard across neuroscience care,” Stephen Scheeler, Omniscient’s CEO, said in a company press release. “Entering the DBS market extends that platform to an entire new care team and a broad base of US hospitals. It’s a significant step in scaling Quicktome from the operating room to the full continuum of neuro care.”

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How DBS targets Parkinson’s symptoms

Parkinson’s disease is caused by the dysfunction and loss of nerve cells that produce dopamine, a brain chemical messenger involved in controlling movement. The resulting disruption in dopamine signaling can lead to motor symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, slowed movements, and balance problems.

While available treatments cannot cure Parkinson’s, they can help manage symptoms. For some people, particularly those whose motor symptoms are no longer adequately controlled with medication, DBS can provide an additional treatment option.

In a DBS procedure, neurosurgeons implant thin insulated wires called leads into specific regions of the brain. These leads connect to a small, battery-powered device under the skin that delivers electrical pulses to targeted brain areas to normalize disrupted signaling and ease motor symptoms.

The subthalamic nucleus is the most targeted deep brain structure for Parkinson’s, though surgeons may choose other areas based on individual needs. After surgery, neurologists fine-tune the electrical settings to deliver the most relief with the fewest side effects. However, differences in individual brain anatomy can make pinpointing the ideal stimulation settings challenging.

Quicktome is a cloud-based software platform that processes a single, non-invasive MRI scan using automated algorithms to create customized maps of a patient’s unique brain networks.

The platform visualizes connectomics — the detailed map of how different brain regions physically connect via nerve fiber pathways and communicate with each other over time.

The new Quicktome DB workflow applies this network approach directly to DBS care. By analyzing a patient’s post-operative imaging, it pinpoints exactly where the DBS leads sit in relation to deep brain targets and surrounding neural communication pathways.

“DBS outcomes depend not only on where a lead is placed, but on how it connects to the rest of a patient’s brain network,” said Mitesh Lotia, MD, medical director of the movement disorders program at the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute. “What excites me most about Quicktome DB is the shared, patient-specific view it gives neurosurgeons and neurologists, spanning network anatomy and lead location from implantation through therapy optimization.”