A 3-DIMENSIONAL MULTIMODALITY BRAIN MAP OF THE NEMESTRINA MONKEY

A three-dimensional multimodality computerized map of the nemestrina m onkey brain was created with serial sectioning and digital imaging tec hniques. An adult female Macaca nemestrina (pigtail macaque) weighing 7.2 kg was used in constructing this atlas. CT, PET, and MRI were perf ormed on the monkey before the specimen's head was frozen and cryoplan ed. Closely spaced (50 mu m) images of the specimen blockface were the n digitally acquired and modified to produce whole head and brain-only 3D image sets. The resulting data sets were organized into a digital volume and repositioned into a stereotaxic coordinate system defined b y Horsley and Clark in 1908 [7]. Orthogonal images were obtained by di gitally resampling the volume in order to produce a full set of corona l, sagittal, and horizontal images. Stereotaxic reference grids were a pplied to each image indicating the A/P, M/L, or H-c position within t he digital volume. Specific anatomic structures were outlined from the cryosection data set and 3D surface models reconstructed. Structural labels indicating nuclei, tracts, and other neuroanatomical features w ere incorporated into coronally sliced cryosection images spaced at 50 0 mu m. The CT, PET, and MRI data sets were reconstructed into a digit al volume and coregistered to the cryosection volume. All images const ructed from this 3D map are available for public access via the Intern et using an anonymous file transfer protocol (FTP) and the World Wide Web (http://www.loni.ucla.edu). The foremost advantage of this digital map is an integrated multimodality three-dimensional representation o f the Macaca nemestrina brain, which is not possible with traditional atlases. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.