The cortical surface is characterized by alternating ridges and furrows. The sulci (singular sulcus), as the Latin suggests, are the fissures or grooves; they serve as counterpoint to
the raised gyri (see the figure; some of the primary sulci are highlighted in color). The sulci, in a sense, exist because they do not exist. Their utility derives from this fact as demonstrated by the following:
1) In neurosurgery they function as channels which give a surgeon access to parts of the brain even deep within the subcortex. As M.G. Yaşargil, a noted neurosurgeon, writes in the foreword to the Ono atlas [1]: "any point within the cranium can be reached by following the corridors of the sulci." Tissue damage from incisions is thus minimized.
2) They also serve as orienting landmarks in neurosurgery. The major sulci, in addition, partition important functional areas of the brain. This information reinforces their usefulness as landmarks. The central sulcus, for instance, demarcates the sensory-motor cortex. The sylvian fissure, one of the most identifiable cortical features, is the locus of language cortex. Both these sulci are important reference points in a variety of contexts and applications.
3) The sulcal grooves are filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which make them easy to identify in T1-weighted images (where CSF is dark in contrast to the brighter gray/white matter.)
To be useful in the neurosurgical applications described, we first need to identify and label the sulci. There are other applications that would also benefit from a reliable labeling scheme. Internal changes in the brain, either due to aging or pathology, for instance, alter the cortical surface. Labeling is the first step in a systematic study that allows us to quantify these changes for the differential diagnosis of disease.
Reference
1) Ono, M., Kubic, S. & Abernathy, C. (1990) "Atlas of the Cerebral Sulci", (Thieme, New York).
Posts on Sulcal Labeling
1) Why we label sulci
2) Why is sulcal labeling difficult ?
3) The use of a spatial distribution model in labeling sulci
the raised gyri (see the figure; some of the primary sulci are highlighted in color). The sulci, in a sense, exist because they do not exist. Their utility derives from this fact as demonstrated by the following:
1) In neurosurgery they function as channels which give a surgeon access to parts of the brain even deep within the subcortex. As M.G. Yaşargil, a noted neurosurgeon, writes in the foreword to the Ono atlas [1]: "any point within the cranium can be reached by following the corridors of the sulci." Tissue damage from incisions is thus minimized.
2) They also serve as orienting landmarks in neurosurgery. The major sulci, in addition, partition important functional areas of the brain. This information reinforces their usefulness as landmarks. The central sulcus, for instance, demarcates the sensory-motor cortex. The sylvian fissure, one of the most identifiable cortical features, is the locus of language cortex. Both these sulci are important reference points in a variety of contexts and applications.
3) The sulcal grooves are filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which make them easy to identify in T1-weighted images (where CSF is dark in contrast to the brighter gray/white matter.)
To be useful in the neurosurgical applications described, we first need to identify and label the sulci. There are other applications that would also benefit from a reliable labeling scheme. Internal changes in the brain, either due to aging or pathology, for instance, alter the cortical surface. Labeling is the first step in a systematic study that allows us to quantify these changes for the differential diagnosis of disease.
Reference
1) Ono, M., Kubic, S. & Abernathy, C. (1990) "Atlas of the Cerebral Sulci", (Thieme, New York).
Posts on Sulcal Labeling
1) Why we label sulci
2) Why is sulcal labeling difficult ?
3) The use of a spatial distribution model in labeling sulci
