A New Atlas Localization Approach for Subthalamic Nucleus Utilizing Chinese Visible Human Head Datasets

OBJECTIVE To study the possibility of Chinese visible human (CVH) head datasets as brain atlas for locating the subthalamic nucleus (STN) before deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. METHODS Optimal head axial and coronal 3.0T, T2-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI) of 30 patients were obtained. Cross-sectional head images of four CVH head datasets were chosen to establish an average CVH model. All MRI sequences were registered to the CVH model via fiducials in X-, Y-, and Z-direction, respectively, within the same stereotactic space. The correlations between red nucleus (RN) and fiducials, the accuracy of MRI-to-CVH registration, and the coordinate value differences of RN gravity center between MRI and CVH were tested. RESULTS The mean gravity center coordinate values and ranges of STN in CVH were measured; The X coordinate value of RN positively correlates with the most anterior point of putamen(PU-A), the lateral edges of putamens (PU-L), and width of the third ventricle, negatively correlated with the patients' age; The minimal mean errors were when no fiducials were used when locating RN between the MRI and the CVH average model; There were no significant differences of RN in X- and Y-direction between MRI sequences and CVH. CONCLUSION CVH head datasets can be used as brain atlas for Chinese STN localization. Moreover, average coordinate values of the gravity center and the ranges of STN in CVH can be considered as references for locating STN.