A new semiautomated, three‐dimensional technique allowing precise quantification of total and regional cerebellar volume using MRI

Abstract

A new method was developed to measure total and regional cerebellar volumes using MRI. Previously, the volumes of the cerebellum and its substructure had been studied planimetrically. The new method uses three-dimensional semiautomated volumetry with focus on reliability and performance. The method consists of a manual presegmentation using landmark-adjusted planes followed by region-growing segmentation and calculation of volume. The cerebellum is partitioned into 11 regions defined by planes, which are adjusted for internal cerebellar landmarks (three radial regions inside the vermis that extend into the medial hemisphere (one-fourth of the transverse diameter of the hemisphere); one region in the lateral hemisphere (remaining three-fourths)). Forty-six healthy volunteers were examined and the effects of age, gender, and symmetry were estimated. Shrinkage in the vermis (especially anterior superior compartment) was marked. Age effects diminished laterally and were not observed in the lateral hemisphere. Age effects on the total cerebellar volume were marginal. Effects of gender and symmetry were nonsignificant. Technique and results are discussed and related to methods and findings of others.

Quantitative Assessment of Brain Stem and Cerebellar Atrophy in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Types 3 and 6: Impact on Clinical Status

“…For brain stem segmentation, the same software tool was used, and its capability of classifying cerebellar and brain stem tissue was used to segment the brain stem and assess brain stem volumes (Fig 1). Borders of the brain stem were defined according to the method proposed by Luft et al 18 Briefly, in a first step, a slab with parallel upper and lower boundaries containing the brain stem was cut from the 3D MR imaging dataset. The superior boundary of the brain stem was defined as the para-axial plane between the mamillary bodies and the posterior commissure.…”

Brain stem and cerebellum volumetric analysis of Machado Joseph disease patients

“…A trained operator (STC) blinded about the clinical data delineated the region-of-interest (ROI) manually based on axial, coronal and sagittal images, according to anatomic landmarks already described 16 ( Figure). Volumetry was performed based on the whole brain gradient echo 3D, with 1 mm 3 isotropic voxel, using the Display software package (Brain Image Center, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University).…”

Magnetic resonance imaging-based volumetry differentiates idiopathic Parkinson's syndrome from multiple system atrophy and progressive supranuclear palsy

“…MRI-based volumetry was performed by using the method described by Luft and associates. 12 In summary, all measurements were performed on a Siemens Magnetom Vision 1.5-T scanner (Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany), using the standard head coil. Two MRI series were acquired.…”

“…MRI-based volumetry was performed by using the method described in detail elsewhere. 11,12,17 In brief, volumetry consisted of manual, landmark-defined presegmentation followed by automated region growing-based detailed segmentation and calculation of volume considering partial volume effects. Interactive presegmentation was necessary wherever the boundaries between structures were not contrasted and therefore were not segmented by region growing.…”

“…Therefore, we applied an MRI-based three-dimensional (3D) technique that allows measuring of the volumes of the cerebellum, brainstem, putamen, and caudate nucleus in patients with IPS, PSP, and MSA in a semiautomated and highly reliable way. 11,12 By using discriminant analysis, we show that each of these disorders is associated with a characteristic pattern of volume loss in the brain structures under study. Knowledge of these changes may be useful to improve the clinical diagnosis of IPS and related disorders.…”