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Delineation of intermammillary relationships using magnetic resonance imaging

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Abstract

Purpose

No study has investigated intermammillary relationships using neuroimaging modalities. This study aimed to explore them using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials and methods

We enrolled 72 patients who underwent conventional MRI examinations, followed by constructive interference steady-state sequence in the coronal plane. The intermammillary distances (IMDs) were measured at the uppermost level of the intermammillary gap (IMDupp) and the lowest level (IMDlow) of the mammillary bodies (MBs).

Results

MBs with varying morphologies were consistently delineated. The appearance of both MBs could be classified into four patterns based on the size and relative levels, with the symmetrical type being the most common. Intermammillary relationships exhibited five patterns. In 69%, the IMDupp was discernible and measured 0.7 ± 0.4 mm, while it was not discernible in 31% due to the presence of intermammillary connection and adhesion. The age distribution did not differ between populations with and without discernible IMDupp. The IMDlow was measured 4.4 ± 0.9 mm. Although the IMDlow was not significantly different between both sexes; it was longer in subjects in their 70s.

Conclusions

Intermammillary relationships show variable morphologies with gaps formed between both MBs. The IMDlow may become more evident in association with age-related increase in the width of the third ventricle and atrophy of the MBs.

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Availability of data and materials

The data and materials used in this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request (Satoshi Tsutsumi).

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Funding

No funding was received for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurological Surgery, Juntendo University Urayasu Hospital, 2-1-1 Tomioka, Urayasu, Chiba, 279-0021, Japan

    Satoshi Tsutsumi, Natsuki Sugiyama, Hideaki Ueno & Hisato Ishii

Authors
  1. Satoshi Tsutsumi
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  2. Natsuki Sugiyama
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  3. Hideaki Ueno
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  4. Hisato Ishii
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Contributions

ST conceived the study, performed the cadaver dissection, and wrote the manuscript. NS and HU collected the imaging data. ST and HI analyzed the imaging data.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Satoshi Tsutsumi.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest of a financial or personal nature.

Ethical approval

All procedures in this study were performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee, and the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Written informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study for participation and publication of the article.

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Tsutsumi, S., Sugiyama, N., Ueno, H. et al. Delineation of intermammillary relationships using magnetic resonance imaging. Surg Radiol Anat 45, 29–34 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-03063-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-03063-x

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