The Illinois Magnetoencephalography Center and theAlexian Brothers Functional Brain Mapping Program at Alexian Neurosciences Institute

About Us

In planning neurosurgical intervention for patients with brain tumors, vascular malformations, or epilepsy, it is critical to identify the relationships between regions of abnormal structure and function, and healthy parts of the brain that control critical skills such as movement, memory, and language. To aid in this, the Alexian Brothers Hospital Network has established the Illinois Magnetoencephalography [MEG] Center and Functional Brain Mapping Program to provide state-of-the-art brain imaging capabilities.

MEG is a completely safe and noninvasive technology that measures moment-to-moment changes in magnetic fields generated by the brain's electrical activity. The sensor acts like a magnetic stethoscope as it records naturally occurring signals in your brain. Even infants can be safely evaluated with this technology.

MEG can help doctors more successfully plan interventions for patients with:

  • Epilepsy
  • Vascular malformations
  • Brain tumors.

In the treatment of these conditions, surgeons face the challenge of trying to maximize the removal of diseased brain tissue while making certain that nearby healthy tissue is left undisturbed. To achieve this, it is critical that the precise locations of damaged and healthy areas are defined for each patient.

The Alexian Brothers Medical Center also provides access to magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] capabilities including structural MRI, functional MRI, and MR spectroscopy. By combining MEG with other imaging strategies, our team can make a structural-functional roadmap of the brain.

In patients with tumors or arteriovenous malformations, integrated brain mapping allows for a more targeted intervention with fewer problems after surgery.   In patients with intractable epilepsy, brain imaging guides surgery and increases the likelihood of a seizure-free outcome.

MEG is also used at Alexian Brothers Center for Brain Research, were scientists and clinicians conduct research aimed at improving the diagnosis and treatment of neurological, psychiatric, and developmental disorders including ADHD, autism, dementia, depression, stroke and traumatic brain injury.