diff --git a/examples/pytorch/eeg-gcnn/EEGGraphDataset.py b/examples/pytorch/eeg-gcnn/EEGGraphDataset.py
index 8af8f6c59dc7..affda325f878 100644
--- a/examples/pytorch/eeg-gcnn/EEGGraphDataset.py
+++ b/examples/pytorch/eeg-gcnn/EEGGraphDataset.py
@@ -84,17 +84,22 @@ def get_sensor_distances(self):
     def get_geodesic_distance(
         self, montage_sensor1_idx, montage_sensor2_idx, coords_1010
     ):
+        def get_coord(ref_sensor, coord):
+            return float(
+                (coords_1010[coords_1010.label == ref_sensor][coord]).iloc[0]
+            )
+
         # get the reference sensor in the 10-10 system for the current montage pair in 10-20 system
         ref_sensor1 = self.ref_names[montage_sensor1_idx]
         ref_sensor2 = self.ref_names[montage_sensor2_idx]
 
-        x1 = float(coords_1010[coords_1010.label == ref_sensor1]["x"])
-        y1 = float(coords_1010[coords_1010.label == ref_sensor1]["y"])
-        z1 = float(coords_1010[coords_1010.label == ref_sensor1]["z"])
+        x1 = get_coord(ref_sensor1, "x")
+        y1 = get_coord(ref_sensor1, "y")
+        z1 = get_coord(ref_sensor1, "z")
 
-        x2 = float(coords_1010[coords_1010.label == ref_sensor2]["x"])
-        y2 = float(coords_1010[coords_1010.label == ref_sensor2]["y"])
-        z2 = float(coords_1010[coords_1010.label == ref_sensor2]["z"])
+        x2 = get_coord(ref_sensor2, "x")
+        y2 = get_coord(ref_sensor2, "y")
+        z2 = get_coord(ref_sensor2, "z")
 
         # https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/1304169/distance-between-two-points-on-a-sphere
         r = 1  # since coords are on unit sphere