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MRI/DTI Atlas of the Human Brainstem in Transverse and Sagittal Planes

Poster No:

1802

Submission Type:

Abstract Submission

Authors:

George Paxinos¹, Teri Furlong², Ken Ashwell², Kristie Smith¹, Evan Calabrese³, Al Johnson³

Institutions:

¹Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, NSW, ²The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, ³Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, NC

First Author:

George Paxinos, Scientia Professor
Neuroscience Research Australia
Sydney, NSW

Co-Author(s):

Teri Furlong
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW

Ken Ashwell, Professor
The University of New South Wales
Sydney, NSW

Kristie Smith, Dr
Neuroscience Research Australia
Sydney, NSW

Evan Calabrese
Duke University Medical Centre
Durham, NC

Al Johnson, Professor
Duke University Medical Centre
Durham, NC

Introduction:

Conventional imaging atlases of the human brain have been constructed using low spatial resolution MRI, rendering neuroanatomical delineations unsatisfactory compared to histological maps. We aimed to construct an MRI atlas of the human brainstem using considerably higher resolution/contrast than currently available, with neuroanatomical delineations guided by those identified in our histological atlas of the human brainstem [1].

Methods:

Postmortem MR imaging was performed on a human brainstem of a 65-year-old male with no history of neurologic or psychiatric conditions in a 7T machine. Anatomic images were acquired using a 3D gradient echo pulse sequence, and diffusion data using a simple diffusion-weighted spin echo pulse sequence. Brain structures were manually traced in the transverse and sagittal planes. Delineations were informed by histology where available.

Results:

The 50μm GRE and 200μm DTI resolution images obtained to construct this atlas are 8000x and 1000x higher than the average clinical structural MRI and DTI, respectively. The high resolution of this data set enabled us to successfully delineate 363 structures (more than 80% of that identified in our histological atlas [1] and produced 86 detailed diagrams across the transverse and sagittal planes using GRE, FAC, and DWI images.

Conclusions:

We have constructed an MRI/DTI atlas of the human brainstem using data of unprecedented quality, that is also the first to present detailed diagrams in the sagittal plane, giving a unique perspective on brainstem organisation.

Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:

Neuroanatomy Other

Neuroinformatics and Data Sharing:

Brain Atlases ¹

Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:

Anatomical MRI ²

Diffusion MRI

Multi-Modal Imaging

Keywords:

ADULTS

Atlasing

Brainstem

HIGH FIELD MR

MRI

NORMAL HUMAN

Segmentation

STRUCTURAL MRI

Structures

^1|2Indicates the priority used for review

Abstract Information

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Please indicate below if your study was a "resting state" or "task-activation” study.

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Healthy subjects only or patients (note that patient studies may also involve healthy subjects):

Healthy subjects

Was this research conducted in the United States?

Were any human subjects research approved by the relevant Institutional Review Board or ethics panel? NOTE: Any human subjects studies without IRB approval will be automatically rejected.

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Please indicate which methods were used in your research:

Structural MRI

Diffusion MRI

Postmortem anatomy

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Other, Please list - Brain Slicer, Adobe Illustrator

Provide references using APA citation style.

Paxinos, G., Furlong, T., & Watson, C. (2019). Human brainstem: Cytoarchitecture, chemoarchitecture, myeloarchitecture. Academic Press Elsevier.

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