Comparison of overall brain volume and midsagittal corpus callosum surfacearea as obtained from NMR scans and direct anatomical measures: a within-subject study on autopsy brains

Formalin fixed brains obtained from autopsy were studied by magnetic resona nce imaging. using FLASH and MPR sequences. The overall volume and the mids agittal surface area of the corpus callosum (cc) of these brains were also directly measured by water displacement for overall volume determination an d morphometry for cc surface area measures, allowing comparisons of these m easures in a within-subject design. Thin NMR sections (1 mm thickness for F LASH and 1.25 mm for MPR) yielded overall brain volume estimates that did n ot differ significantly from direct volume estimations but thicker (5 mm) s ections led to a significant overestimation of brain volume for NMR measure s relative to direct displacement measures. There was no overall effect of type of NMR measure: FLASH and MPR scans did not yield significantly differ ent values for overall brain volume or callosal surface area. Direct and NM R measures of the corpus callosum surface at midsagittal level did not yiel d significantly different estimates. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.