Reliability of Targeting Methods in TMS for Depression: Beam F3 Vs. 5.5 Cm

Overview

Journal Brain Stimul

Publisher Elsevier

Specialty Neurology

Date 2020 Apr 15

PMID 32289680

Citations 27

Authors

Nicholas T Trapp

Joel Bruss

Marcie King Johnson

Brandt D Uitermarkt

Laren Garrett

Amanda Heinzerling

Chaorong Wu

Timothy R Koscik

Patrick Ten Eyck

Aaron D Boes

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: No consensus exists in the clinical transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) field as to the best method for targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for depression treatment. Two common targeting methods are the Beam F3 method and the 5.5 cm rule.

Objective: Evaluate the anatomical reliability of technician-identified DLPFC targets and obtain consensus average brain and scalp MNI152 coordinates.

Methods: Three trained TMS technicians performed repeated targeting using both the Beam F3 method and 5.5 cm rule in ten healthy subjects (n = 162). Average target locations were plotted on 7T structural MRIs to compare inter- and intra-rater reliability, respectively.

Results: (1) Beam F3 inter- and intra-rater reliability was superior to 5.5 cm targeting (p = 0.0005 and 0.0035). (2) The average Beam F3 location was 2.6±1.0 cm anterolateral to the 5.5 cm method.

Conclusions: Beam F3 targeting demonstrates greater precision and reliability than the 5.5 cm method and identifies a different anatomical target.

Citing Articles

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Lee J, Drysdale A, Srivastava A, Shi T, Patel G Adv Neurobiol. 2024; 40:89-117.

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