The morel stereotactic atlas of the human thalamus: Atlas-to-MR registration of internally consistent Canonical Model

Citation
K. Niemann et al., The morel stereotactic atlas of the human thalamus: Atlas-to-MR registration of internally consistent Canonical Model, NEUROIMAGE, 12(6), 2000, pp. 601-616
Citations number
104
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
NEUROIMAGE
ISSN journal
10538119 → ACNP
Volume
12
Issue
6
Year of publication
2000
Pages
601 - 616
Database
ISI
SICI code
1053-8119(200012)12:6<601:TMSAOT>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
In 1997, Morel, Magnin, and Jeanmonod presented a microscopic stereotactic atlas of the human thalamus. Parcellations of thalamic nuclei did not only use cyto- and myeloarchitectonic criteria, but were additionally corroborat ed by staining for calcium-binding proteins, which bears functional signifi cance. The atlas complies with the Anglosaxon nomenclature elaborated by Jo nes and the data were sampled in three orthogonal planes in the AC-PC refer ence space. We report on the generation of three-dimensional digital models of the thalamus based on the three sets of sections (sagittal, horizontal, and frontal). Spatial differences between the three anatomical specimens w ere evaluated using the centers of gravity of 13 selected nuclei as landmar ks. Subsequent linear regression analysis yielded equations, which were use d to normalize the: frontal and horizontal digital models to the sagittal o ne. The outcome is an internally consistent Canonical Model of Morel's atla s, which minimizes the linear component of the variability between the thre e sectioned anatomical specimens. In addition, we demonstrate the feasibili ty of the atlas-to-MRI registration in conjunction with on-line visualizati on of the trajectory in the digital models. (C) 2000 Academic Press.