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
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.