J Korean Med Sci.  2010 Jan;25(1):135-141. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.1.135.

A Proposal of New Reference System for the Standard Axial, Sagittal, Coronal Planes of Brain Based on the Serially-Sectioned Images

• Park JS
• Chung MS
• Park HS
• Shin DS
• Har DH
• Cho ZH
• Kim YB
• Han JY
• Chi JG

• KMID: 1713844
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.1.135

Abstract

Sectional anatomy of human brain is useful to examine the diseased brain as well as normal brain. However, intracerebral reference points for the axial, sagittal, and coronal planes of brain have not been standardized in anatomical sections or radiological images. We made 2,343 serially-sectioned images of a cadaver head with 0.1 mm intervals, 0.1 mm pixel size, and 48 bit color and obtained axial, sagittal, and coronal images based on the proposed reference system. This reference system consists of one principal reference point and two ancillary reference points. The two ancillary reference points are the anterior commissure and the posterior commissure. And the principal reference point is the midpoint of two ancillary reference points. It resides in the center of whole brain. From the principal reference point, Cartesian coordinate of x, y, z could be made to be the standard axial, sagittal, and coronal planes.

Keyword

Brain; Anatomy, Cross-Sectional; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Neuronavigation

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anatomy, Cross-Sectional
Brain/*anatomy & histology/radiography
Brain Mapping
Cadaver
Humans
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Male
Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Figure

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  Fig. 1 (A) Axial and sagittal indicator lines on the face; (B) head block in the embedding box (C) which is being sectioned using cutting disc to be photographed by a digital camera.

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  Fig. 2 Axial images showing (A) the head including brain, (B) the cerebral arterial wall with atherosclerosis, and (C) the anastomosis (arrow) between the occipital sinus and the left internal jugular vein.

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  Fig. 3 Zoomed-in axial serially-sectioned images showing (A) the nuclei of thalamus, (B) the nuclei and tracts in midbrain, and (C) the small structures in the left ear.

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  Fig. 4 (A) Lateral and (B) medial view of the three-dimensional image of left cerebral hemisphere; (C) superior and (D) inferior view of that of the cerebrum.

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  Fig. 5 (A) Axial and (B) sagittal reference planes showing anterior commissure (AC) and posterior commisA B sure (PC).

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  Fig. 6 (A) Sagittal and (B) coronal reference planes, both of which pass the midpoint of anterior commissure (AC) and posterior commissure (PC). Range of axial and coronal planes was indicated in the sagittal reference plane while range of sagittal planes was indicated in the coronal reference plane.

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  Fig. 7 Zoomed-in (A) axial, (B) sagittal, and (C) coronal reference planes showing important brain structures.

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  Fig. 8 (A) Three-dimensional image of brain and skull made of serially-sectioned images to show anterior and posterior commissure (AC-PC) line and Reid's base line (RBL); (B) another image of brain and skin to show AC-PC line and canthomeatal line (CML).

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