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Brain and intracranial cavity volumes: in vivo determination by MRI

B Condon1, R Grant, D Hadley

  • 1Institute of Neurological Sciences, Southern General Hospital, Glasgow, Scotland.

Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
|November 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

This study introduces a non-invasive MRI method to measure brain volume in vivo. It found significant brain volume decrease in males aged 20-60, enabling future studies on brain volume and cognitive function.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Radiology
  • Human Anatomy

Background:

  • Pathological processes like swelling or atrophy alter brain volume.
  • Previously, brain volume determination was limited to post-mortem analysis.
  • In vivo assessment of brain volume changes is crucial for understanding aging and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a non-invasive MRI technique for in vivo determination of brain volume (BV) and intracranial cavity volume (ICV).
  • To assess variations in normalized BV, ventricular, cortical sulcal, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes with age and sex.
  • To establish a foundation for prospective studies correlating brain volume with cognitive function.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for non-invasive in vivo measurements.
  • Applied the technique to 40 healthy volunteers (20 males, 20 females).
  • Normalized measured volumes with respect to intracranial cavity volume (ICV) to account for individual differences.

Main Results:

  • A significant decrease in normalized brain volume was observed in males between ages 20 and 60 (1.6% per decade).
  • Females showed a smaller, non-statistically significant decrease (0.5% per decade).
  • The MRI technique successfully measured various intracranial volumes including BV, ICV, ventricular, and CSF spaces.

Conclusions:

  • The developed MRI technique allows for the first time the in vivo determination of brain volume and related intracranial parameters.
  • Age-related brain volume decline is more pronounced and statistically significant in males compared to females within the studied age range.
  • This non-invasive method opens avenues for prospective research into the relationship between brain volume, aging, and cognitive function in various health conditions.

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