"""
.. _tut-forward:
==================================
Head model and forward computation
==================================
The aim of this tutorial is to be a getting started for forward computation.
For more extensive details and presentation of the general concepts for forward
modeling, see :ref:`ch_forward`.
"""
# Authors: The MNE-Python contributors.
# License: BSD-3-Clause
# Copyright the MNE-Python contributors.
# %%
import mne
from mne.datasets import sample
data_path = sample.data_path()
# the raw file containing the channel location + types
sample_dir = data_path / "MEG" / "sample"
raw_fname = sample_dir / "sample_audvis_raw.fif"
# The paths to Freesurfer reconstructions
subjects_dir = data_path / "subjects"
subject = "sample"
# %%
# Computing the forward operator
# ------------------------------
#
# To compute a forward operator we need:
#
# - a ``-trans.fif`` file that contains the coregistration info.
# - a source space
# - the :term:`BEM` surfaces
# %%
# Compute and visualize BEM surfaces
# ----------------------------------
#
# The :term:`BEM` surfaces are the triangulations of the interfaces between
# different tissues needed for forward computation. These surfaces are for
# example the inner skull surface, the outer skull surface and the outer skin
# surface, a.k.a. scalp surface.
#
# Computing the BEM surfaces requires FreeSurfer and makes use of
# the command-line tools :ref:`mne watershed_bem` or :ref:`mne flash_bem`, or
# the related functions :func:`mne.bem.make_watershed_bem` or
# :func:`mne.bem.make_flash_bem`.
#
# Here we'll assume it's already computed. It takes a few minutes per subject.
#
# For EEG we use 3 layers (inner skull, outer skull, and skin) while for
# MEG 1 layer (inner skull) is enough.
#
# Let's look at these surfaces. The function :func:`mne.viz.plot_bem`
# assumes that you have the ``bem`` folder of your subject's FreeSurfer
# reconstruction, containing the necessary surface files. Here we use a smaller
# than default subset of ``slices`` for speed.
plot_bem_kwargs = dict(
subject=subject,
subjects_dir=subjects_dir,
brain_surfaces="white",
orientation="coronal",
slices=[50, 100, 150, 200],
)
mne.viz.plot_bem(**plot_bem_kwargs)
# %%
# Visualizing the coregistration
# ------------------------------
#
# The coregistration is the operation that allows to position the head and the
# sensors in a common coordinate system. In the MNE software the transformation
# to align the head and the sensors in stored in a so-called **trans file**.
# It is a FIF file that ends with ``-trans.fif``. It can be obtained with
# :func:`mne.gui.coregistration` (or its convenient command line
# equivalent :ref:`mne coreg`), or mrilab if you're using a Neuromag
# system.
#
# Here we assume the coregistration is done, so we just visually check the
# alignment with the following code. See :ref:`creating-trans` for instructions
# on creating the ``-trans.fif`` file interactively.
# The transformation file obtained by coregistration
trans = sample_dir / "sample_audvis_raw-trans.fif"
info = mne.io.read_info(raw_fname)
# Here we look at the dense head, which isn't used for BEM computations but
# is useful for coregistration.
mne.viz.plot_alignment(
info,
trans,
subject=subject,
dig=True,
meg=["helmet", "sensors"],
subjects_dir=subjects_dir,
surfaces="head-dense",
)
# %%
# .. _plot_forward_source_space:
#
# Compute Source Space
# --------------------
#
# The source space defines the position and orientation of the candidate source
# locations. There are two types of source spaces:
#
# - **surface-based** source space when the candidates are confined to a
# surface.
#
# - **volumetric or discrete** source space when the candidates are discrete,
# arbitrarily located source points bounded by the surface.
#
# **Surface-based** source space is computed using
# :func:`mne.setup_source_space`, while **volumetric** source space is computed
# using :func:`mne.setup_volume_source_space`.
#
# We will now compute a surface-based source space with an ``'oct4'``
# resolution. See :ref:`setting_up_source_space` for details on source space
# definition and spacing parameter.
#
# .. warning::
# ``'oct4'`` is used here just for speed, for real analyses the recommended
# spacing is ``'oct6'``.
src = mne.setup_source_space(
subject, spacing="oct4", add_dist="patch", subjects_dir=subjects_dir
)
print(src)
# %%
# The surface based source space ``src`` contains two parts, one for the left
# hemisphere (258 locations) and one for the right hemisphere (258
# locations). Sources can be visualized on top of the BEM surfaces in purple.
mne.viz.plot_bem(src=src, **plot_bem_kwargs)
# %%
# To compute a volume based source space defined with a grid of candidate
# dipoles inside a sphere of radius 90mm centered at (0.0, 0.0, 40.0) mm
# you can use the following code.
# Obviously here, the sphere is not perfect. It is not restricted to the
# brain and it can miss some parts of the cortex.
sphere = (0.0, 0.0, 0.04, 0.09)
vol_src = mne.setup_volume_source_space(
subject,
subjects_dir=subjects_dir,
sphere=sphere,
sphere_units="m",
add_interpolator=False,
) # just for speed!
print(vol_src)
mne.viz.plot_bem(src=vol_src, **plot_bem_kwargs)
# %%
# To compute a volume based source space defined with a grid of candidate
# dipoles inside the brain (requires the :term:`BEM` surfaces) you can use the
# following.
surface = subjects_dir / subject / "bem" / "inner_skull.surf"
vol_src = mne.setup_volume_source_space(
subject, subjects_dir=subjects_dir, surface=surface, add_interpolator=False
) # Just for speed!
print(vol_src)
mne.viz.plot_bem(src=vol_src, **plot_bem_kwargs)
# %%
# .. note:: Some sources may appear to be outside the BEM inner skull contour.
# This is because the ``slices`` are decimated for plotting here.
# Each slice in the figure actually represents several MRI slices,
# but only the MRI voxels and BEM boundaries for a single (midpoint
# of the given slice range) slice are shown, whereas the source space
# points plotted on that midpoint slice consist of all points
# for which that slice (out of all slices shown) was the closest.
#
# Now let's see how to view all sources in 3D.
fig = mne.viz.plot_alignment(
subject=subject,
subjects_dir=subjects_dir,
surfaces="white",
coord_frame="mri",
src=src,
)
mne.viz.set_3d_view(
fig,
azimuth=173.78,
elevation=101.75,
distance=0.30,
focalpoint=(-0.03, -0.01, 0.03),
)
# %%
# .. _plot_forward_compute_forward_solution:
#
# Compute forward solution
# ------------------------
#
# We can now compute the forward solution.
# To reduce computation we'll just compute a single layer BEM (just inner
# skull) that can then be used for MEG (not EEG).
# We specify if we want a one-layer or a three-layer BEM using the
# ``conductivity`` parameter.
# The BEM solution requires a BEM model which describes the geometry
# of the head the conductivities of the different tissues.
conductivity = (0.3,) # for single layer
# conductivity = (0.3, 0.006, 0.3) # for three layers
model = mne.make_bem_model(
subject="sample", ico=4, conductivity=conductivity, subjects_dir=subjects_dir
)
bem = mne.make_bem_solution(model)
# %%
# Note that the :term:`BEM` does not involve any use of the trans file. The BEM
# only depends on the head geometry and conductivities.
# It is therefore independent from the MEG data and the head position.
#
# Let's now compute the forward operator, commonly referred to as the
# gain or leadfield matrix.
# See :func:`mne.make_forward_solution` for details on the meaning of each
# parameter.
fwd = mne.make_forward_solution(
raw_fname,
trans=trans,
src=src,
bem=bem,
meg=True,
eeg=False,
mindist=5.0,
n_jobs=None,
verbose=True,
)
print(fwd)
# %%
# .. warning::
# Forward computation can remove vertices that are too close to (or outside)
# the inner skull surface. For example, here we have gone from 516 to 474
# vertices in use. For many functions, such as
# :func:`mne.compute_source_morph`, it is important to pass ``fwd['src']``
# or ``inv['src']`` so that this removal is adequately accounted for.
print(f"Before: {src}")
print(f"After: {fwd['src']}")
# %%
# We can explore the content of ``fwd`` to access the numpy array that contains
# the gain matrix.
leadfield = fwd["sol"]["data"]
print(f"Leadfield size : {leadfield.shape[0]} sensors x {leadfield.shape[1]} dipoles")
# %%
# To extract the numpy array containing the forward operator corresponding to
# the source space ``fwd['src']`` with cortical orientation constraint
# we can use the following:
fwd_fixed = mne.convert_forward_solution(
fwd, surf_ori=True, force_fixed=True, use_cps=True
)
leadfield = fwd_fixed["sol"]["data"]
print(f"Leadfield size : {leadfield.shape[0]} sensors x {leadfield.shape[1]} dipoles")
# %%
# This is equivalent to the following code that explicitly applies the
# forward operator to a source estimate composed of the identity operator
# (which we omit here because it uses a lot of memory)::
#
# >>> import numpy as np
# >>> n_dipoles = leadfield.shape[1]
# >>> vertices = [src_hemi['vertno'] for src_hemi in fwd_fixed['src']]
# >>> stc = mne.SourceEstimate(1e-9 * np.eye(n_dipoles), vertices)
# >>> leadfield = mne.apply_forward(fwd_fixed, stc, info).data / 1e-9
#
# To save to disk a forward solution you can use
# :func:`mne.write_forward_solution` and to read it back from disk
# :func:`mne.read_forward_solution`. Don't forget that FIF files containing
# forward solution should end with :file:`-fwd.fif`.
#
# To get a fixed-orientation forward solution, use
# :func:`mne.convert_forward_solution` to convert the free-orientation
# solution to (surface-oriented) fixed orientation.
#
# Exercise
# --------
#
# By looking at :ref:`ex-sensitivity-maps`
# plot the sensitivity maps for EEG and compare it with the MEG, can you
# justify the claims that:
#
# - MEG is not sensitive to radial sources
# - EEG is more sensitive to deep sources
#
# How will the MEG sensitivity maps and histograms change if you use a free
# instead if a fixed/surface oriented orientation?
#
# Try this changing the mode parameter in :func:`mne.sensitivity_map`
# accordingly. Why don't we see any dipoles on the gyri?