EEG/MEG forward simulation through h- and p-type finite elements

Abstract

Electro/Magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG) is a non-invasive imaging modality, in which a primary current density generated by the neural activity in the brain is to be reconstructed from external electric potential/magnetic field measurements. This work focuses on effective and accurate simulation of the EEG/MEG forward model through the h- and p-versions of the finite element method (h- and p-FEM). The goal is to compare the effectiveness of these two versions in forward simulation. Both h- and p-type forward simulations are described and implemented, and the technical solutions found are discussed. These include, for example, suitable ways to generate a finite element mesh for a real head geometry through the use of different element types. Performances of the two implemented forward simulation types are compared by measuring directly the forward modeling error, as well as by computing reconstructions through a regularized FOCUSS (FOCal Underdetermined System Solver) algorithm. The results obtained suggest that the p-type performs better in terms of the forward modeling error. However, both types perform well in regularized FOCUSS reconstruction. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.