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DOI: 10.1148/radiol.2423060297
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(Radiology 2007;242:840-845.)
© RSNA, 2007

Neuroradiology

Somatotopic Organization of Thalamocortical Projection Fibers as Assessed with MR Tractography1

Kei Yamada, MD, PhD, Yoshinari Nagakane, MD, Kenji Yoshikawa, MD, PhD, Osamu Kizu, MD, PhD, Hirotoshi Ito, MD, PhD, Takao Kubota, MD, PhD, Kentaro Akazawa, MD, Hiroyuki Oouchi, MD, Shigenori Matsushima, MD, Masanori Nakagawa, MD and Tsunehiko Nishimura, MD, PhD

1 From the Departments of Radiology (K. Yamada, O.K., H.I., T.K., K.A., H.O., S.M., T.N.) and Neurology (Y.N., K. Yoshikawa, M.N.), Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cyo, Kawaramachi Hirokoji Sagaru, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. Received February 15, 2006; revision requested April 20; revision received April 27; accepted May 31; final version accepted June 29. Address correspondence to K. Yamada. (e-mail: kyamada{at}koto.kpu-m.ac.jp).

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the course of sensory fibers through the supratentorial brain with diffusion-tensor–based tractography.

Materials and Methods: This study was approved by the institutional review board. Informed consent was obtained. Seven healthy volunteers (five men, two women; age range, 20–55 years) underwent 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging. Diffusion-tensor images with isotropic voxels (2 x 2 x 2 mm) were obtained by using a single-shot echo-planar imaging technique, with a motion-probing gradient in 15 orientations, a b value of 1000 sec/mm2, and nine signals acquired. The total imaging time was approximately 30 minutes. Fiber tracking of the sensorimotor pathways was performed with the fiber assignment by continuous tracking method.

Results: All the pyramidal tracts rotated anteriorly as they traveled through the centrum semiovale. On the other hand, the sensory tracts rotated posteriorly as they coursed through the centrum semiovale toward the cortex. When the sensorimotor tracts were viewed as a unit, the tracts of the lower extremity formed the axis of rotation around which the other parts of the pyramidal and sensory homunculus rotated.

Conclusion: Sensorimotor fibers of the lower extremity form an axis of rotation, around which the pyramidal fibers rotate anteriorly and the sensory fibers rotate posteriorly.

© RSNA, 2007




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