Analysis of changes in brain morphological structure of taekwondo athletes by diffusion tensor imaging.

OBJECTIVE: Taekwondo, which is the most preferred sport among the martial arts, is known to improve individuals physically, spiritually and mentally. The aim of this study is to reveal the effect of teakwondo sport on the brain and brain structures. DESIGN;: 30 taekwondo athletes and 15 control groups were included in this study. Diffusion tensor MR images of each participant were taken. The information was obtained by the self-declaration of the athletes, whether they were sports years, amateur or elite. METHOD: Total brain volume and volumes of white matter, gray matter, frontal lobe, precentral gyrus, corticospinal tract, basal nuclei, postcentral gyrus, hippocampus and amigdala and the ratio of these volumes to total brain volume were evaluated statistically between the groups using MriCloud software and ROIEditor program. RESULTS: An increase in total brain volume, gray matter, frontal lobe and precentral gyrus volume in athletes was associated with taekwondo training. When the ratio of brain parts to total brain volume was examined, it was determined that there was a difference in the ratio of gray matter, white matter volumes in amateur athletes, right frontal lobe, left corticospinal tract, right postcentral gyrus volumes in elite athletes, and left postcentral gyrus volumes of both athletes compared to sedentary individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in the volume of gray matter, frontal lobe, postcentral gyrus and corticospinal tract together with the brain volume shows that taekwondo exercise contributes to physical, spiritual and mental development.

A Volumetric Study of the Corpus Callosum in the Turkish Population.

Objective The aim of this study is to measure the average corpus callosum (CC) volume of healthy Turkish humans and to analyze the effects of gender and age on volumes, including the genu, truncus, and splenium parts of the CC. Patients and Methods Magnetic resonance imaging brain scans were obtained from 301 healthy male and female subjects, aged 11 to 84 years. The median age was 42 years (min-max: 11-82) in females and 49 years (min-max: 12-84) in males. Corpus callosum and its parts were calculated by using MRICloud. CC volumes of each subject were compared with those of the age and gender groups. Results All volumes of the CC were significantly higher in males than females. All left volumes except BCC were significantly higher than the right volumes in both males and females. The oldest two age groups (50-69 and 70-84 years) were found to have higher bilateral CC volumes, and bilateral BCC volumes were also higher than in the other two age groups (11-29 and 30-49 years). Conclusion The results suggest that compared with females/males, females have a faster decline in the volume of all volumes of the CC. We think that quantitative structural magnetic resonance data of the brain is vital in understanding human brain function and development.

Stereological Study on the Effect of Carnosine on of Purkinje Cells in the Cerebellum of Rats Exposed to 900 MHz Electromagnetic Field.

AIM: To evaluate the impact of carnosine on Purkinje neurons in rats exposed to a 900 Mhz electromagnetic field. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study evaluated 24 rats divided into the following three different groups: a control group, a group exposed to the electromagnetic field, and a group that was injected with carnosine while being exposed to the electromagnetic field. The electromagnetic field group was exposed to a 900 Mhz electromagnetic field for an hour daily over 28 days. Thereafter, stereological analysis was performed histologically on cerebellar sections, and the number of Purkinje cells were counted. RESULTS: The electromagnetic field group had remarkably fewer Purkinje cell compared to control. The electromagnetic field group plus 20 mg of carnosine had significantly more total Purkinje cells compared to the electromagnetic field group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that electromagnetic field exposure decreases the number of Purkinje cell, whereas carnosine protected the cerebellum from neural damage induced by electromagnetic field exposure.

Evaluating the brainstem in children with breath-holding spells.

OBJECTIVE: Breath-holding spells (BHSs) are a non-epileptic paroxysmal phenomenon characterized by frequent apnea episodes, loss of consciousness, and changes in skin tone and postural tone triggered by negative stimuli of childhood. The pathophysiology of the disease remains unclear; autonomic dysregulation caused by delayed myelination is believed to play a role. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the brainstems of children with BHS using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and investigate the etiology of this phenomenon. METHODS: The study group consisted of 16 children with a history of severe breath-holding episodes (accompanied by loss of consciousness and tonic contraction due to prolonged anoxic response) and 18 age-, gender-, and handedness-matched controls. All children underwent systemic, neurologic, and cardiologic evaluation, including complete blood count, blood biochemistry, serum iron and ferritin level, serum vitamin B12 level, electrocardiogram, and electroencephalograms. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed using a 1.5-Tesla Siemens Aera scanner (Siemens, Germany). RESULTS: Evaluation of brainstem (midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata) volumes revealed no statistically significant differences between the BHS patient and control groups. In a voxel-wise analysis of DTI data, the BHS patient group had significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values than the control group in the bilateral midbrain and medulla, right corticospinal tract, bilateral corpus callosum body and splenium, and left corpus callosum genu. In contrast, there were no significant differences in FA values in the pons, cerebellum, left corticospinal tract, and right corpus callosum genu. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, we think that patients with BHS should be treated with an approach similar to other neurodevelopmental diseases and that this study may help elucidate the pathophysiology and establish the groundwork for future studies on its treatment.

The role of lateralisation and sex on insular cortex: 3D volumetric analysis

Background/aim: The insula has attracted the attention of many neuroimaging studies because of its key role between brain structures. However, the number of studies investigating the effect of sex and laterality on insular volume is insufficient. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in insular volume between sexes and hemispheres. Materials and methods: A total of 47 healthy participants [24 males (20.08 ± 1.44 years) and 23 females (19.57 ± 0.90 years)] underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Imaging was performed using the 3T MRI scanner. The insular volume was measured using the Individual Brain Atlases using Statistical Parametric Mapping (IBASPM); total intracranial, cerebral, grey and white matter volumes were measured using volBrain. Results: The right insular volume was significantly higher than the left insular volume in the participants, and the left cerebral volume was significantly higher than the right cerebral volume (p < 0.05). The total brain, total cerebral, left and right insular, and cerebral volumes were significantly larger in males than in females (p < 0.001). Also, the ratios of the insular volume to total brain and cerebral volume were significantly higher in males than in females (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study shows that insular volume differs with laterality and sex. This outcome may be explained by the anatomical relationship between the insula and behavioural functions and emotional reactions and the fact that the right side of the brain is best at expressive and creative tasks.

Structural neuroimaging findings in migraine patients with restless legs syndrome.

PURPOSE: One out of three migraine patients might have accompanying restless legs syndrome (RLS). In our study, we aimed to compare the volumes of the brain structures of migraineurs with and without RLS. METHODS: We had 37 female patients with migraine and 17 females as the control group. Nineteen migraineurs had no RLS (RLS0) and 18 migraineurs had comorbidity of RLS (RLS1). The volumes of the brain structures were obtained by manual measurements, volBrain, and voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Manually, we measured caudate and putamen volumes. We used age, years of education, depression, anxiety scores, and total intracranial volume as covariates. RESULTS: According to VBM analyses, the volumes of the left superior occipital gyrus and precuneus were increased, and the substantia nigra and cuneus were decreased in the RLS1 group compared with the RLS0 group. RLS1 patients had larger superior temporal gyrus, Brodmann area 38, and left insula, and RLS0 patients had larger Brodmann area 22, right superior temporal gyrus, and Heschl gyrus compared with controls. Migraine and RLS0 patients had a smaller corpus callosum anteriorly, whereas RLS1 patients had a smaller splenium. Caudate volumes were larger in migraine patients via the three techniques. There was a positive relation between the caudate and putamen volumes and attack frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Comorbidity of RLS might be a confounding factor in structural neuroimaging studies in migraine. Deficits in the visual network seem to be related to accompanying RLS; deficits in the auditory network are particularly related to migraine.

Not all imagery is created equal: A functional Magnetic resonance imaging study of internally driven and symbol driven musical performance imagery.

Playing a musical instrument requires fast multimodal sensory-motor processing which can be activated by voluntary access to performance imagery. Musicians use different methods to activate imagery for the purpose of "mental practice". The aim of the present study was to investigate cortical activation patterns in different methods of mental practice of musical performance. While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 7 male oud (fretless lute) players engaged in performance imagery of a pre-memorized short excerpt from mainstream oud repertoire using three common imagery methods (task conditions): From memory (internally driven) 1)eyes closed, 2)eyes open, and while following the musical score (symbol driven). The study design consisted of a four-task 16-epoch block design where the 4th task was an eyes-open rest tasks (EOR) included as a control condition. Each task was repeated four times in a pseudorandomized sequence. The superior temporal gyrus and transvers temporal gyrus (Heschl) were active in the left and right hemispheres in all imagery conditions. The occipital cortex, specifically the fusiform gyrus was active in all three conditions. Symbol driven imagery resulted in less prominent activations in frontal and parietal lobes. The findings suggest that not all imagery modalities activate sensory and motor areas similarly.

Dextrocardia and situs inversus totalis in a Turkish subject: a case report / Dextrocardia y situs inversus totalis en un sujeto turco: reporte de un caso

Dextrocardia with situs inversus is an uncommon anomaly affecting about 1 to 2 per 10,000 in the general population. This report describes an adult male patient with dextrocardia and in a Turkish subject. The photographic illustrations revealed transposition of some of the visceral organs such as the spleen was located right and the liver and gall bladder on the left. The heart was flattened and flipped to the right. Many people with situs inversus totalis are unaware of their unusual anatomy until they seek medical attention for an unrelated condition. So, early detection may lead to a successful surgical management and consequently offer a safer chance of survival. This report showed that dextrocardia and situs inversus can be seen amongst Turkish subjects.

La dextrocardia con situs inversus es una anomalía poco frecuente que afecta aproximadamente de 1 a 2 personas por 10.000 en la población general. Este informe describe un paciente masculino adulto con dextrocardia. Las figuras revelaron que la transposición de algunos de los órganos viscerales, como el bazo, se ubicada a la derecha y el hígado y la vesícula biliar a la izquierda. El corazón fue aplastado y girado hacia la derecha. Muchas personas con situs inversus totalis desconocen su anatomía inusual hasta que buscan atención médica por una afección no relacionada. Por lo tanto, la detección temprana puede llevar a un manejo quirúrgico exitoso y, en consecuencia, ofrecer una posibilidad más segura de supervivencia. Este informe mostró que la dextrocardia y el situs inversus se pueden encontrar entre los sujetos turcos.

Evaluation of Brachial Plexus Using Combined Stereological Techniques of Diffusion Tensor Imaging and Fiber Tracking.

Background Brachial plexus (BP) is composed of intercommunications among the ventral roots of the nerves C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1 in the neck. The in vivo and in vitro evaluation of axons of the peripheral nervous system is performed using different techniques. Recently, many studies describing the application of fiber tractography and stereological axon number estimation to peripheral nerves have been published. Methods Various quantitative parameters of nerve fibers, including axon number, density, axonal area, and myelin thickness, can be estimated using stereological techniques. In vivo three-dimensional reconstruction of axons of BP can be visualized using a combined technique of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and fiber tracking with the potential to evaluate nerve fiber content. Conclusion It is concluded that terminal branches of BP can be successfully visualized using DTI, which is a highly reproducible method for the evaluation of BP as it shows anatomical and functional features of neural structures. We believe that quantitative morphological findings obtained from BP will be useful for new experimental, developmental, and pathological studies in the future.

Evaluation of intracerebral ventricles volume of patients with Parkinson's disease using the atlas-based method: A methodological study.

Knowing the volumetric changes in brain can allow for the estimation of the disease progression of various neurodegenerative disorders. Many studies have been shown that the volumetric changes in the some brain structures especially including the dopaminergic neurons, in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The objective of this study was to compare intracerebral ventricles volume in patients with PD and healthy subjects to compare an automated atlas-based method (MRIStudio software) and a manual method (ImageJ). T1-weighted brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data of 21 patients with PD and 20 healthy individuals were used to calculate the intracerebral ventricle volumes. Measurement results obtained by ImageJ were considered as the gold standard. We found a significant increase in the left occipital part of the lateral ventricle volume in the patients with PD compared to the control subjects (p < 0.05). Also, no significant difference was found between the two methods of measurement (p > 0.05), meaning that a substantial agreement was found between the results obtained with the atlas-based analysis and manual method. The present study showed that MRIStudio can be performed easily and accurately on routine MRI scans for which the total intracerebral ventricles volume is to be estimated in PD. We suggest that, the attained volume values of intracerebral ventricles may provide a precious data for volumetric dependences of the anatomical structures in several clinical conditions.

Sialidosis type I presenting with a novel mutation and advanced neuroimaging features.

Sialidosis is a rare lysosomal storage disease caused by neuraminidase gene (NEU1) mutation and a deficiency of the enzyme neuraminidase. The aim of this study was to examine the sialidosis type 1 brain using volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI in comparison to 3 controls. The patients gene analysis identified compound heterozygous mutation in the NEU1 that is shown to be associated with the sialidosis type 1. In this very rarely seen case, we found volume changes in different brain structures. We found that subthalamic nucleus volumes were found to be smaller in the patient compared to the controls. Also, sialidosis type 1 had significantly smaller cerebellar volume compared with the control group. The case had higher mean diffusivity and lower fractional anisotropy values in the cerebellum and displayed abnormal functional connectivity.

Diffusion tensor and volumetric magnetic resonance imaging findings in the brains of professional musicians.

Professional musicians represent an ideal model to study the training-induced brain plasticity. The current study aimed to investigate the brain volume and diffusion characteristics of musicians using structural magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The combined use of volumetric and diffusion methods in studying musician brain has not been done in literature. Our study group consisted of seven male musicians playing an instrument and seven age- and gender-matched non-musicians. We evaluated the volumes of gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and calculated total intracranial volume (TIV) and measured the fractional anisotropy (FA) of pre-selected WM bundles: corpus callosum (CC), corticospinal tract (CST), superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), forceps major (ForMaj), forceps minor (ForMin), and arcuate fasciculus (AF). The mean WM/TIV volume in musicians was higher compared to non-musicians. The mean FA was lower in CC, SLF, ForMaj, ForMin, and right AF but higher in right CST in the musicians. The mean value of the total number of fibers was larger in the CST, SLF, left AF, and ForMaj in the musicians. The observed differences were not statistically significant between the groups (p>0.05). However, increased GM volume was found in the musicians compared to the non-musicians in the right and left cerebellum and supramarginal and angular gyrus, left superior and inferior parietal lobule and as well as left middle temporal gyrus. Our findings suggest differing brain structure in musicians and the confirmation of the results on a larger population.

Which method is gold standard for determination of thyroid volume? / ¿Cual es el método gold standard para determinar el volumen de la glándula tiroides?

Change of the thyroid gland volume is often the symptom of most common pathological conditions some thyroid diseases. The exact calculation for the thyroid volume is very important for the assessment and management of thyroid disorders. The volume of thyroid gland, using computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (USG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been accessed in few studies published; however a gold standard method has not yet been determined. The purpose of this study was to estimate the volume of normal thyroid gland to define an optimal correction factor therefore was to compare different techniques using the CT. We used computed tomography images obtained from 8 cadavers (2 females, 6 males) to calculate the thyroid volumes. In the present study, the actual thyroid volumes were measured using the water-displacement method as a gold standard, point-counting as a stereology, and ellipsoid methods. Mean squared errors and correction factors were calculated and modeled for each model to find an optimal correction factor and from 0.450 to 0.600 in steps of 0.001 separately for thyroid volume estimation. The average volume of the thyroid glands were 14.58 ± 9.84, 15.28 ± 9.38, and 14.97 ± 8.35 cm3 by fluid displacement, stereology and ellipsoid formula, respectively. No significant difference was found among the methods (P >0.05). The results of this study suggested that the volume of thyroid gland can be measured on CT scans stereologically for diagnosis, as will as provide reliable measure of thyroid volume, management and follow-up of thyroid diseases and for preoperative planning.

El cambio de volumen de la glándula tiroides es a menudo el síntoma de las condiciones patológicas más comunes de algunas enfermedades de dicha glándula. El cálculo exacto del volumen tiroideo es muy importante para la evaluación y el tratamiento de los trastornos tiroideos. El volumen de la glándula tiroides, utilizando la tomografía computarizada (TC), el ultrasonido (USG) y la resonancia magnética (RM) ha sido presentados en varias publicaciones. Sin embargo, aún no se ha determinado un gold standard. El propósito de este estudio fue estimar el volumen de la glándula tiroides normal para definir un factor de corrección óptimo, por lo que se compararon diferentes técnicas utilizando TC. Para calcular los volúmenes tiroideos se utilizaron imágenes de tomografía computarizada obtenidas de 8 cadáveres (dos mujeres y seis hombres). En el presente estudio, los volúmenes reales de la glándula tiroides se midieron utilizando como gold standard los métodos esterológicos de desplazamiento de agua y conteo de puntos y el método volumétrico elipsoide. Se calcularon y modelaron los errores cuadráticos medios y los factores de corrección para cada modelo con el objetivo de encontrar un factor de corrección óptimo y de 0,450 a 0,600 en pasos de 0,001 por separado para la estimación del volumen tiroideo. El volumen medio de las glándulas tiroides fue de 14,58 ± 9,84, 15,28 ± 9,38 y 14,97 ± 8,35 cm3 calculados por desplazamiento de fluido, estereología y fórmula elipsoide, respectivamente. No se encontró diferencia significativa entre los métodos (P>0,05). Los resultados de este estudio sugieren que el volumen de la glándula tiroides puede ser medido estereológicamente por TC, estableciéndose como una medida fiable del volumen tiroideo, para el diagnóstico, manejo y seguimiento de las enfermedades tiroideas y la planificación preoperatoria.

Palatine tonsil volume estimation using different methods after tonsillectomy.

This study was carried out to measure the volume of the palatine tonsil in otorhinolaryngology outpatients with complaints of adenotonsillar hypertrophy and chronic tonsillitis who had undergone tonsillectomy. To date, no study has investigated palatine tonsil volume using different methods and compared with subjective tonsil size in the literature. For this purpose, we used three different methods to measure palatine tonsil volume. The correlation of each parameter with tonsil size was assessed. After tonsillectomy, palatine tonsil volume was measured by Archimedes, Cavalieri and Ellipsoid methods. Mean right-left palatine tonsil volumes were calculated as 2.63 ± 1.34 cm3 and 2.72 ± 1.51 cm3 by the Archimedes method, 3.51 ± 1.48 cm3 and 3.37 ± 1.36 cm3 by the Cavalieri method, and 2.22 ± 1.22 cm3 and 2.29 ± 1.42 cm3 by the Ellipsoid method, respectively. Excellent agreement was found among the three methods of measuring volumetric techniques according to Bland-Altman plots. In addition, tonsil grade was correlated significantly with tonsil volume.

Total intracranial and lateral ventricle volumes measurement in Alzheimer's disease: A methodological study.

Measuring of brain and its compartments' sizes from magnetic resonance (MR) images is an effective way to assess disease progression in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of this study was to compare total intracranial volume (TIV) and lateral ventricle volume (LVV) in patients with Alzheimer's disease with those in elderly control subjects, and to compare an automated method (automatic lateral ventricle delineation [ALVIN]) and a manual method (ImageJ). MRI of the brain was performed on 20 patients with Alzheimer's disease and 18 control subjects. The TIV was calculated by a manual method and the LVV was calculated by using two methods: an automated and manual method. We found a significant increase in LVVs in Alzheimer's disease patients compared to control subjects, but no difference in TIV between the two groups. A perfect agreement, with 0.989 (0.973-0.996) intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and 0.978 (0.946-0.991) concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), was observed between the manual and automatic lateral ventricle measurements in Alzheimer patients. The results revealed that LVV measure has predictive performance in AD. We demonstrated that ALVIN and ImageJ are both effective in determining lateral ventricular volume, providing an objective tool for quantitative assessment of AD.

Characterization of tympanic cavity volume in newborns using computerized tomography scanning / Caracterización del volumen de la cavidad timpánica en recién nacidos usando tomografía computadorizada

This study reports tympanic cavity (TC) volume in newborns, which was missing in the literature. Ex vivo histology and computerized tomography (CT) scans were performed on temporal bone and data were analyzed in part using software developed in house. CT images with a slice thickness of 0.5 mm were obtained from 5 newborn cadavers and analyzed independently by two expert researchers. The border of the TC was delineated manually and measurement of area of interest was calculated on masked images. Then, the area measurements from all sections were added to estimate the total volume. The agreements between the histological and CT findings were then compared for accuracy, repeatability and reliability. The Dice and Jaccard similarity coefficient measures were used as a statistical validation metric to evaluate the assessor's performance in manual volume segmentation. Good assessor agreement was observed with average Dice values above 0.8 indicating that consistent and reliable volume measurements were feasible. The proposed protocol was shown to be accurate in calculating the TC volume, and thus can be used for computer-assisted presurgical planning or for diagnosing structural alterations in TC.

El objetivo fue determinar el volumen de la cavidad timpánica (CT) en recién nacidos, información no encontrada en la literatura. Se realizaron escaners a través de tomografia computadorizada (TC) y estudios histológicos en el hueso temporal; los datos se analizaron utilizando un software desarrollado en nuestra institución. Se obtuvieron imágenes de secciones de TC, de 0,5 mm de grosor, a partir de 5 cadáveres de recién nacidos, los que fueron analizados de forma independiente por dos investigadores expertos. El margen de los cortes de TC fue delineado manualmente y la medición del área de interés se estimó sobre imágenes ocultas. Después, se añadieron las mediciones de área de todas las secciones para estimar el volumen total. Las concordancias entre el estudio histológico y los hallazgos de la TC se compararon en cuanto a precisión, repetibilidad y confiabilidad. Se utilizaron las medidas de coeficiente de similitud de Jaccard y Dice como métrica de validación estadística para evaluar el desempeño del asesor en la medición manual del volumen. Se observó una buena correlación del evaluador con los valores medios de Dice, por encima de 0,8 indicando que es factible obtener mediciones coherentes y confiables de volumen. El protocolo propuesto ha demostrado ser preciso para calcular el volumen de la CT, y por lo tanto se puede utilizar para la planificación prequirúrgica asistida o para el diagnóstico de alteraciones estructurales en la CT.

The Age-Related Development of Maxillary Sinus in Children.

INTRODUCTION: Paranasal sinuses are complex structures and show individual variation. Providing normative values for paranasal sinus size and their changes related to age could be helpful in evaluating the presence of some diseases related to sinonasal region. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the development of maxillary sinuses and evaluate the volume changes according to age and sex by using stereological and ellipsoidal formula methods after that to compare these approaches with each other in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective volumetric computed tomography (CT) study was carried out on 361 individuals (180 females, 181 males) between 0 and 18 years old (10 females, 10 males in each group, only 14 age group includes 11 males) with no signs of sinus pathology volumetric estimations determined on CT images using point-counting approach of stereological methods and ellipsoid formula by using morphometric data. RESULTS: Maxillary sinus volume measurements that were obtained using 2 methods were increased with age in both sexes until 16 years old. There was a significant correlation determined between 2 methods (ICC 0.894-1.000 for right and 0.862-0.999 for left maxillary sinus measurements). According to the sex, the right and left mean maxillary sinuses volumes were determined at 8.30 ± 5.19 and 8.57 ± 5.53 cm(3) in male and at 7.60 ± 4.57 and 7.99 ± 4.73 cm(3) in female by using ellipsoid formula respectively. By the stereological method these values were 8.28 ± 5.26, 8.44 ± 5.35 cm(3) and 7.64 ± 4.55, 7.85 ± 4.73 cm(3) respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the volume of maxillary sinuses with sex and side using both methods. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the basic data for studies relative to the development of the maxillary sinus in children according to 2 methods. The current study demonstrated that the point-counting method and ellipsoid formula are both effective in determining volume estimation of maxillary sinuses and are well suited for CT studies.

Macrocerebellum: Volumetric and Diffusion Tensor Imaging Analysis.

Macrocerebellum is a rare entity characterized by an enlarged cerebellum. We describe a case of a 48-month-old child with macrocerebellum. We performed serial volumetric analysis [total brain volume (TBV) and cerebellar volume] over a period of 4 years. We analyzed the white matter microstructure in the cerebellum using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). In our patient, we found higher fractional anisotropy (FA) and lower mean diffusivity (MD) in the cerebellar white matter compared to age-matched controls. Our results may represent accelerated myelination secondary to the abnormal cerebellar development.

Sella turcica: an anatomical, endocrinological, and historical perspective.

INTRODUCTION: The sphenoid bone has a superior depression called the sella turcica, Latin for "Turkish saddle," where the pituitary gland is found. The availability of modern radiological imaging techniques has replaced plain radiography of the sella turcica in the investigation of hypothalamo-pituitary abnormalities. However, the size of the sella turcica, and smaller sella turcica size in particular, may cause pituitary dysfunction because of the changes in the structure of pituitary gland or may be associated with some genetic or acquired endocrine disorders. The name "sella turcica" is one of the most commonly used terms in everyday endocrine practice. METHODS: In this review, after a brief explanation of the anatomical and endocrinological features of the sella turcica had been given, a historical perspective of sella turcica nomenclature was presented for the first time. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS: After Andreas Vesalius's description of it as a suitable cavity for the gland that receives the "phlegm of the brain" in De Humani Corporis Fabrica (1543), medical scholars began to use seat/saddle-related terms such as the ephippium, pars sellaris, sella equina, sella ossis, and sella sphenoidalis. The real designation of the sella turcica, however, was introduced to the anatomical nomenclature by the anatomist Adrianus Spigelius (1578-1625) in his famous work De Corpora Humanis Fabrica (1627).