Method of morphometric analysis of the corpus callosum form on the basis of MR-images and applicable to it's natural preparations

Abstract

Further development of neurosurgery requires increased knowledge of the anatomy of the corpus callosum. That is why the current direction of modern morphological research is the study of the sexual dimorphism of the corpus callosum in the age aspect, taking into account individual variability. The purpose of the study was to develop an integrated approach to digital quantization of the corpus callosum, which will allow to solve the problem of defining the characteristics of the individual variation of the human corpus callosum sexual dimorphism in the age aspect in more detailed and comprehensive way. The material used were 40 MRI images of male and female heads of the II period of mature age without a pathology of the central nervous system and 44 brain preparations of men and women of the II period of mature age, who died for reasons not connected with the pathology of the central nervous system either. As a result of the study, the longitudinal-altitudinal index of the corpus callosum was calculated and its three main forms were distinguished: low convex, medium convex and high convex. By isolating the two thighs in the trunk of the corpus callosum (anterior and posterior), we obtained additional data specifying the true length of the corpus callosum. We also resorted to the topological transformation of a complicated configuration of the corpus callosum shape into a simple planimetric figure, which is a circle, by determining its radius according to the formula R=L/2, where L is the total length of the corpus callosum perimeter. This provides an opportunity to express the nuances of its individual, sexual and age variability in more visual form in diagrams. Conclusions. To obtain an optimal morphometric characteristic of the planar projection of the sagittal profile of the corpus callosum, we offer a simple geometric analysis that is applicable not only for MRI images, but also for anatomical preparations on the basis of photographs of the medial surface of the cerebral hemispheres. Thus, we get the opportunity to find out how the corpus collosum differs in vivo from the postmortem state.