Acta Anatomica Sinica

AAS ›› 2013, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (3 ): 360-363.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0529-1356.2013.03.014

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Comparison between brain magnetic resonance imaging and sectional anatomy of hypothalamic nuclei 

ZHANG Rui1  DENG Xue-fei1  XU Zhao-yang1  ZHU You-zhi2  ZHANG Yu2  MO Zi2  LUO Xiang-wei2  HAN Hui 1*   

  1. 1. Department of Human Anatomy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China; 2. Imaging Center, the 105th Hospital of People’s Liberation Army, Hefei 230031,China
  • Received:2012-08-10 Revised:2012-09-05 Online:2013-06-06 Published:2013-07-16

Abstract:

Objective To explore the morphology, location and signal of the hypothalamic nuclei in the whole brain magnetic
resonance imaging by comparing between magnetic resonance imaging（MRI）and sectional anatomy images of the same specimen of
the human adult brain. Methods Six human adult cadaveric heads were examined using MRI and sectional anatomy methods. They
were sectioned at horizontal, sagittal and coronal plane，two for each. The collected images from MRI and physical sections
of the same brain were prepared. Results In T1 and T2 images, fornix and anterior commissure showed a sharp structure with
hypo-signals,of which T1 images were even better. By a landmark such as the fornix or anterior commissure, the paraventricular
nucleus in the T1 image showed sharp hypersignals, and slightly sharp hypersignals in T2 images. The mammillary nucleus showed
a slightly sharp hypersignals in T1 images, and the mixed signals in the T2 images and the boundary was unclear. The supraoptic
nucleus in the T1 image was less clear in boundaries with slightly hypersignals，in T2 images, it was poorly showed. Conclusion
Hypothalamic nuclei can be identified in the routine MRI head scan.

Key words: Hypothalamus, Paraventricular nucleus, Mammillary body nucleus, Supraoptic nucleus, Magnetic resonance imaging, Sectional anatomy, Adult

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