PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to compare cadaver dissections with in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to determine the position of the cervicomedullary junction (CMJ) relative to the readily identified anatomic landmarks, namely the obex and olivary bodies (olives), in normal subjects. The information gained from this study would allow further investigation into abnormalities of the CMJ, such as Chiari malformation, without the need for time-intensive tractography studies. METHODS: Six formalin-fixed human cadaver brains were compared with DTI studies in 15 normal controls. Measurements were made from the upper border of the crossing fibers of the pyramidal decussation to both the obex and the inferior margin of the olive. RESULTS: For the cadaver specimens, the average distance from the inferior border of the olive to the upper border of the decussation measured 3.7 mm (±1.2 mm). The average distance from the obex to the upper decussation was 6.7 mm (±2.1 mm). In the DTI subjects, the inferior olive to the upper decussation averaged 3.4 mm (±0.9 mm). The distance from the obex to the decussation averaged 6.4 mm (±1.3 mm). CONCLUSION: The CMJ reliably lies 3.4 mm (±0.9 mm) caudal to the inferior border of the olive and 6.4 mm (±1.3 mm) caudal to the obex. Awareness of this anatomic relationship readily allows recognition of abnormalities of the position of the CMJ with routine imaging.
PURPOSE: The purpose of our study is to compare cadaver dissections with in vivo diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to determine the position of the cervicomedullary junction (CMJ) relative to the readily identified anatomic landmarks, namely the obex and olivary bodies (olives), in normal subjects. The information gained from this study would allow further investigation into abnormalities of the CMJ, such as Chiari malformation, without the need for time-intensive tractography studies. METHODS: Six formalin-fixed human cadaver brains were compared with DTI studies in 15 normal controls. Measurements were made from the upper border of the crossing fibers of the pyramidal decussation to both the obex and the inferior margin of the olive. RESULTS: For the cadaver specimens, the average distance from the inferior border of the olive to the upper border of the decussation measured 3.7 mm (±1.2 mm). The average distance from the obex to the upper decussation was 6.7 mm (±2.1 mm). In the DTI subjects, the inferior olive to the upper decussation averaged 3.4 mm (±0.9 mm). The distance from the obex to the decussation averaged 6.4 mm (±1.3 mm). CONCLUSION: The CMJ reliably lies 3.4 mm (±0.9 mm) caudal to the inferior border of the olive and 6.4 mm (±1.3 mm) caudal to the obex. Awareness of this anatomic relationship readily allows recognition of abnormalities of the position of the CMJ with routine imaging.
Authors: David S Tuch; Timothy G Reese; Mette R Wiegell; Nikos Makris; John W Belliveau; Van J Wedeen Journal: Magn Reson Med Date: 2002-10 Impact factor: 4.668
Authors: Steen Moeller; Essa Yacoub; Cheryl A Olman; Edward Auerbach; John Strupp; Noam Harel; Kâmil Uğurbil Journal: Magn Reson Med Date: 2010-05 Impact factor: 4.668
Authors: Mark Jenkinson; Christian F Beckmann; Timothy E J Behrens; Mark W Woolrich; Stephen M Smith Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2011-09-16 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Matthew F Glasser; Stamatios N Sotiropoulos; J Anthony Wilson; Timothy S Coalson; Bruce Fischl; Jesper L Andersson; Junqian Xu; Saad Jbabdi; Matthew Webster; Jonathan R Polimeni; David C Van Essen; Mark Jenkinson Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2013-05-11 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Joshua D Burks; Phillip A Bonney; Andrew K Conner; Chad A Glenn; Robert G Briggs; James D Battiste; Tressie McCoy; Daniel L O'Donoghue; Dee H Wu; Michael E Sughrue Journal: J Neurosurg Date: 2016-09-16 Impact factor: 5.408