The microanatomical environment of the subthalamic nucleus. Technical note

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neuroanatomy
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Subthalamic nucleus (STN) high-frequency stimulation is key for advanced Parkinson disease.
• Current imaging limits detailed 3D microanatomy understanding of the STN and mesencephalon.
• Accurate 3D STN microanatomy is crucial for refining therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a detailed 3D reconstruction of the STN and its surrounding mesencephalic structures.
• To evaluate the efficacy of high-field magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for visualizing STN microanatomy.
• To explore potential clinical applications of advanced STN imaging.

Main Methods:

• Postmortem human brain tissue sample isolation around the STN.
• High-field (9.4-tesla) MR imaging acquisition in three orthogonal planes (1-mm slice thickness).
• Comparison of MR images with conventional stained brain slices and creation of 3D reconstructions.

Main Results:

• High-field MR imaging successfully visualized the microanatomy of the STN and adjacent structures.
• Detailed analysis of the STN microenvironment was achieved in three orthogonal planes.
• A precise 3D reconstruction of the STN region was successfully generated.

Conclusions:

• High-field MR imaging is suitable for detailed STN microanatomical visualization.
• The generated 3D reconstructions offer insights into the STN's microenvironment.
• This imaging approach holds promise for future clinical applications in Parkinson disease management.