Probabilistic 3D MRI atlas of the human cerebellar dentate/interposed nuclei

Neuroimage. 2006 Mar;30(1):12-25. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.09.020. Epub 2005 Oct 27.

Abstract

In a previous study, a three-dimensional (3D) MRI atlas of the human cerebellar nuclei was introduced based on findings in one healthy human subject [Dimitrova, A., Weber, J., Redies, C., Kindsvater, K., Maschke, M., Kolb, F.P., Forsting, M., Diener, H.C., Timmann, D., 2002. MRI atlas of the human cerebellar nuclei. NeuroImage 17, 240-255]. The present MRI investigation was designed to study variability of the anatomy of the dentate/interposed nuclei in a larger group of healthy subjects. Similar to our previous study, iron-induced susceptibility artifacts were used to visualize the cerebellar nuclei as hypointensities on MR images. Data of 63 healthy subjects (27 female, 36 male; mean age 45.3+/-13.4 years, age range 22--71 years) were included. A 3D axial volume of the cerebellum was acquired using a T2*-weighted FLASH sequence on a Siemens Sonata 1.5 T MR scanner. Each volume was registered, re-sampled to 1.00 x 1.00 x 1.00 mm(3) voxel size and spatially normalized into a standard proportional stereotaxic space using SPM99. Dentate/interposed nuclei were traced on axial images and saved as regions of interest using MRIcro-software by two independent examiners. A probabilistic 3D MRI atlas of the cerebellar dentate/interposed nuclei is presented based on findings in all subjects.

Publication types

  • Comment
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aging / physiology*
  • Artifacts
  • Brain Mapping*
  • Cerebellar Nuclei / anatomy & histology*
  • Dominance, Cerebral / physiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image Enhancement*
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / statistics & numerical data*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional / statistics & numerical data*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Statistical*
  • Reference Values
  • Reproducibility of Results