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Technical note: the design of a stereotactic frame for direct MRI-anatomical correlation of the brachial plexus

  • Radiologic Anatomy
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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify optimal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conditions to visualize discrete alterations of brachial plexus components, as part of a biomechanical study of minor nerve compression syndromes. A method was developed allowing direct comparison between the MRI image and the subsequently obtained matching anatomic section of the same specimen. We designed a stereotactic frame to obtain the precise orientation of the MRI plane with reference to the specimen and adapted a vertical band saw for multiplanar sectioning of cadaveric specimens. Two cadaveric upper quadrants were examined by MRI (TR 450 ms, TE 13 ms, pixel matrix 512 × 512 and FOV 23–26 cm) and anatomical slices were produced. One specimen was sectioned axially, while the second specimen was sectioned in an oblique plane corresponding to the natural longitudinal axis of the upper part of the brachial plexus. MR images and the corresponding slices exhibited a strong correlation. This correlation was checked by using vitamin A pearls as landmarks. MR images revealed more detail after the correlating anatomical slices were analyzed. The present study shows that the method is suited for direct MRI-anatomic comparison of the brachial plexus and is also proposed for application to other topographical regions.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Mr. A. De Smet and to Prof. P. Simoens, Department of Morphology, Ughent for their skilled technical assistance. We also thank Dr. E. Barbaix for his advice and Prof. Y. Dedeene for reflecting on the mathematical concept.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Anatomy, Embryology, Histology and Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Ghent, Godshuizenlaan 4, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Tom Van Hoof & Katharina D’Herde

  2. Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Ghent, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Cyriel Mabilde & Luc Leybaert

  3. Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Ghent, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Koenraad Verstraete

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  1. Tom Van Hoof
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  2. Cyriel Mabilde
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  3. Luc Leybaert
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  4. Koenraad Verstraete
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  5. Katharina D’Herde
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Correspondence to Tom Van Hoof.

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Van Hoof, T., Mabilde, C., Leybaert, L. et al. Technical note: the design of a stereotactic frame for direct MRI-anatomical correlation of the brachial plexus. Surg Radiol Anat 27, 548–556 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-005-0049-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-005-0049-9

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