Is the Subthalamic Nucleus Hypointense on T2-Weighted Images? A Correlation Study Using MR Imaging and Stereotactic Atlas Data
Didier Dormonta,b,
Kenneth G. Ricciardia,
Dominique Tandée,
Karine Paraine,
Carole Menuelb,
Damien Galanauda,
Soledad Navarroc,
Philippe Cornuc,
Yves Agidd and
Jérôme Yelnike
a Department of Neuroradiology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
b Department of UPR 640 CNRS LENA, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
c Department of Neurosurgery, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
d Department of Neurology, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
e Department of INSERM U289, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
View larger version (131K):
[in a new window]
|
FIG 1. Fusion of the Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas with the T2-weighted acquisition of a patient with Parkinson’s disease. The six anteroposterior levels of the atlas containing a section of the subthalamic nucleus (arrow in level Fa 2.0) are represented. Note that the subthalamic nucleus is hypointense at anterior levels (Fa 2.0–Fp 4.0) but only partly hypointense at level Fp 5.0 and not hypointense at the most posterior level (Fp 7.0). The contours of the Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas are labeled in Figure 3.
| |
View larger version (119K):
[in a new window]
|
FIG 2. Four sections of an anatomicspecimen stained by the Perls method shows the blue stain revealing iron-rich regions. Sections have been counterstained by using neutral red. The contours of cerebral regions have been traced by using the counterstaining of the Perls stained section and Nissl staining of the adjacent sections. Note that the Perls reaction is positive in the anterior portion of the subthalamic nucleus (posterior commissure, +12.4 mm) but very weak in its posterior portion (posterior commissure, +7.3 mm).
| |
View larger version (27K):
[in a new window]
|
FIG 3. Position of the frontal sections on Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas along the antero-posterior axis.
Top, Digitized frontal section of the Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas (Fp 3.0). The main cerebral structures are indicated.
Bottom left, Frontal anterior view of the left subthalamic nucleus obtained by superimposing the six frontal sections of the Schaltenbrand and Wahren atlas containing the subthalamic nucleus.
Bottom right, Sagittal obtained by a 92-degree rotation of the same six frontal contours of the subthalamic nucleus. Note that frontal contours are irregularly spaced from the anterior level Fa 2.0 to the posterior level Fp 7.0, and that there are fewer sections located at the level of the anterior part of the nucleus than at the posterior part.
| |
