Normal MRI anatomy of the brain

(and variants)

Ruth Dennis DipECVDI

Centre for Small Animal Studies
Animal Health Trust
Newmarket UK

EVCN Brain Camp MRI Course 9th-10th August 2014, Bologna

Brain: pulse sequences

• T2W images give best contrast between white
matter, grey matter and CSF

Brain: image planes

• 3 orthogonal planes: transverse, dorsal and sagittal
• sagittal oblique for optic nerves

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Major anatomical areas

• forebrain
- telencephalon (cerebral hemispheres and basal nuclei)
- diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus)
• midbrain
- mesencephalon

• hindbrain
- pons and cerebellum (metencephalon)
- medulla oblongata (myelencephalon)

• brain stem = (diencephalon anatomically, although not

functionally), mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata

Major anatomical areas

Miller’s Anatomy of the Dog, 3rd edition

Areas considered
• cranial cavity
• cerebral hemispheres
• diencephalon
• pituitary gland and middle cranial fossa
• cerebellum
• brain stem
• ventricular system
• inner ear
• cranial nerves

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 Cranial cavity

Cranial cavity: mesaticephalic dog

calvarium external occipital
protuberance
frontal sinus

tentorium
osseum
cerebelli

foramen magnum
sphenoidal sinus
containing turbinates

presphenoid bone basisphenoid bone basioccipital bone

Cranial cavity: cat

• sphenoidal sinus is air-filled

• prominent tentorium osseum

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Cranial cavity: brachycephalic dog

• small / absent frontal sinuses

• ventrally-displaced cribriform plate and olfactory bulb
• domed calvarium

Cranial cavity: brachycephalic cat

Cranial cavity: caudal fossa asymmetry (especially boxer & GSD)

• no clinical significance

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Cranial cavity: mesaticephalic dog

orbital fissure
Cr NN III, IV, VI and V (ophth)

presphenoid bone

Cranial cavity: mesaticephalic dog

basisphenoid bone

Cranial cavity: mesaticephalic dog

basioccipital bone

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 Cerebral hemispheres

Cerebral hemispheres: major lobes

4
6

1 = ethmoturbinates and cribriform plate; 2 = olfactory bulb of frontal lobe;

3 = frontal lobe; 4 = parietal lobe; 5 = occipital lobe; 6 = temporal lobe

Cerebral hemispheres: major lobes

4 5
3
2
1

1 = ethmoturbinates and cribriform plate; 2 = olfactory bulb; 3 = frontal lobe;

4 = parietal lobe; 5 = occipital lobe

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Cerebral hemispheres: major lobes

a common site for

post-seizure changes

piriform lobe (a massive surface bulge, lateral to the hypothalamus)

Cerebral hemispheres: falx cerebri (lined by dura mater)

falx

Cerebral hemispheres: falx cerebri (lined by dura mater)

bone

small plaques of bone may be seen between

the frontal lobes in large dogs (do not mistake
for meningioma): most obvious in T1W scans

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Cerebral hemispheres: cortex (surface grey matter)

normal dog

gyri and sulci

enlarged sulci and

subarachnoid space of
unknown cause:
hydrocephalus ex vacuo

Cerebral hemispheres: fibre tracts (white matter)

corpus callosum (links the two hemispheres)

Cerebral hemispheres: fibre tracts (white matter)

1 = corpus callosum (links the two hemispheres);

2 = internal capsule; 3 = corona radiata

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Cerebral hemispheres: basal nuclei (deep grey matter)

caudate nucleus
putamen ) lentiform
globus pallidus ) nucleus
claustrum
amygdala

Cerebral hemispheres: basal nuclei (deep grey matter)

caudate nucleus
putamen ) lentiform
globus pallidus ) nucleus
claustrum
amygdala

Cerebral hemispheres: basal nuclei (deep grey matter)

cp
ag caudate nucleus
putamen ) lentiform
globus pallidus ) nucleus
claustrum
amygdala

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Cerebral hemispheres: hippocampus (deep grey matter)

Cerebral hemispheres: hippocampus (deep grey matter)

Diencephalon

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Diencephalon: thalamus and hypothalamus (rostral brain stem)

interthalamic adhesion
surrounded by third ventricle

Pituitary gland and middle cranial fossa

Pituitary gland and middle cranial fossa

tuberculum sellae hypophyseal (pituitary) fossa dorsum sellae

sella turcica (“Turkish saddle”)

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Pituitary gland and middle cranial fossa

cavernous sinuses containing venous blood; middle meningeal arteries;

a ramus of the external ophthalmic artery;
cranial nerves III, IV, VI and V (maxillary and ophthalmic branches)

Pituitary gland and cavernous sinuses

disease in the middle cranial fossa (“middle fossa syndrome”)

 internal and external ophthalmoplegia, loss of facial sensation and
sympathetic nerve deficits

Pituitary gland and middle cranial fossa

third ventricle middle cerebral artery

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Pituitary gland contrast enhancement on T1W

T1W T1/C
central hyperintensity = vasopressin?

Pituitary gland contrast enhancement on T1W

Normal pituitary gland dimensions on MRI:

dog: 6.4mm TS, 5.1mm DV
cat: 5.0mm TS, 3.4mm DV, 5.4mm RCd

with fat suppression

Pituitary gland contrast enhancement on T1W

pituitary tumours may or

may not enhance

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 Cerebellum

Cerebellum 1 2 3

vermis and two hemispheres

folia and sulci

Cerebellum
1
1 2
3

vermis and two hemispheres

folia and sulci

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Cerebellar peduncles

R
M

fibres from brain stem to cerebellum: rostral, middle and caudal

Cerebellum: variants - cat

Persian

Brain stem

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 Brain stem
Diencephalon, mesencephalon,
pons and medulla oblongata

1 = diencephalon (anatomically)
2 = mesencephalon
1
3 = pons
2 4 = medulla oblongata

3
4

Brain stem
Diencephalon, mesencephalon,
pons and medulla oblongata

1
1 = tectum of mesencephalon
2 = mesencephalic aqueduct
2 3 = tegmentum of mesencephalon

Brain stem: colliculi – form the tectum of the mesencephalon

Rostral colliculi – visual reflex pathways

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 Brain stem: colliculi – form the tectum of the mesencephalon

Caudal colliculi – hearing reflex pathways

1 2
Brain stem
1

pons and mesencephalic aqueduct

medulla oblongata

Ventricular system

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 Ventricular system, choroid plexuses and subarachnoid space

viewed from the side

viewed from above

Miller’s Anatomy of the Dog,

3rd edition

Ventricular system, choroid plexuses and subarachnoid space

Ventricular system, choroid plexuses and subarachnoid space

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Choroid plexus contrast enhancement on T1W

lateral recess and aperture

lateral and
third
ventricles

useful to confirm that contrast medium has entered the patient!

Ventricular system variants

no septum pellucidum
Labrador

Boston terrier

larger ventricles in dome-headed breeds Bulldog

Ventricular system variants

West Highland white terrier Pug

asymmetry of the lateral ventricles occurs in about 10% dogs

and occasionally in cats (usually L>R)

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Ventricular system variants

dilation within the olfactory bulb is sometimes seen in

cats, even in the absence of obstructive hydrocephalus

Inner ear

Inner ear

little duck!

endolymph in the cochlear duct and semicircular canals is

hyperintense on T2W

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 Cranial nerves

Cranial nerves

• Cranial nerves II, III, V (and its divisions) and VIII observed
consistently on 3mm and 4mm thick slices (often VII too)

• Cranial nerves IV, VII and IX-X-XI seen on 2mm thick slices

• Cranial nerves I, VI and XII not seen with certainty

Cranial nerve II (optic)

1 2

1 2

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Cranial nerve II (optic)

optic chiasm sagittal oblique

Cranial nerve V (trigeminal) 12 3

3
maxillary and
ophthalmic branches in
cavernous sinus
mandibular branch
exiting oval foramen

exiting brainstem

Cranial nerve V (trigeminal)

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Cranial nerve VII (facial)

in facial canal of petrous temporal bone, dorsal to cochlea

Cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear)

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‘The Lord Gilleyne’ statue at the Animal Health Trust

Frosty morning at the Animal Health Trust

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