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Conti A, Gambadauro NM, Mantovani P, Picciano CP, Rosetti V, Magnani M, Lucerna S, Tuleasca C, Cortelli P, Giannini G. A Brief History of Stereotactic Atlases: Their Evolution and Importance in Stereotactic Neurosurgery. Brain Sci 2023; 13:brainsci13050830. [PMID: 37239302 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13050830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Following the recent acquisition of unprecedented anatomical details through state-of-the-art neuroimaging, stereotactic procedures such as microelectrode recording (MER) or deep brain stimulation (DBS) can now rely on direct and accurately individualized topographic targeting. Nevertheless, both modern brain atlases derived from appropriate histological techniques involving post-mortem studies of human brain tissue and the methods based on neuroimaging and functional information represent a valuable tool to avoid targeting errors due to imaging artifacts or insufficient anatomical details. Hence, they have thus far been considered a reference guide for functional neurosurgical procedures by neuroscientists and neurosurgeons. In fact, brain atlases, ranging from the ones based on histology and histochemistry to the probabilistic ones grounded on data derived from large clinical databases, are the result of a long and inspiring journey made possible thanks to genial intuitions of great minds in the field of neurosurgery and to the technical advancement of neuroimaging and computational science. The aim of this text is to review the principal characteristics highlighting the milestones of their evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Conti
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biomorfologia e. Scienze Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
| | - Nicola Maria Gambadauro
- Stroke Unit- Barking, Havering and Redbrige University Hospitals NHS Trust, Queen's Hospital, Rom Valley Way, London RM7 0AG, UK
| | - Paolo Mantovani
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
| | - Canio Pietro Picciano
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biomorfologia e. Scienze Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
| | - Vittoria Rosetti
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biomorfologia e. Scienze Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
| | - Marcello Magnani
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biomorfologia e. Scienze Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Lucerna
- Department of Neurosurgery, AOU "G. Martino", Via Consolare Valeria 1, 98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Constantin Tuleasca
- Neurosurgery Service and Gamma Knife Center, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Rue du Bugnon 46, 1011 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM), University of Lausanne (UNIL), Rue du Bugnon 21 CH-1011, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, LTS-5), Rte Cantonale, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pietro Cortelli
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biomorfologia e. Scienze Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Giannini
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
- Dipartimento di Biomorfologia e. Scienze Neuromotorie (DIBINEM), Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Via Altura 3, 40123 Bologna, Italy
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Abstract
Human brain atlases have been evolving tremendously, propelled recently by brain big projects, and driven by sophisticated imaging techniques, advanced brain mapping methods, vast data, analytical strategies, and powerful computing. We overview here this evolution in four categories: content, applications, functionality, and availability, in contrast to other works limited mostly to content. Four atlas generations are distinguished: early cortical maps, print stereotactic atlases, early digital atlases, and advanced brain atlas platforms, and 5 avenues in electronic atlases spanning the last two generations. Content-wise, new electronic atlases are categorized into eight groups considering their scope, parcellation, modality, plurality, scale, ethnicity, abnormality, and a mixture of them. Atlas content developments in these groups are heading in 23 various directions. Application-wise, we overview atlases in neuroeducation, research, and clinics, including stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, neuroradiology, neurology, and stroke. Functionality-wise, tools and functionalities are addressed for atlas creation, navigation, individualization, enabling operations, and application-specific. Availability is discussed in media and platforms, ranging from mobile solutions to leading-edge supercomputers, with three accessibility levels. The major application-wise shift has been from research to clinical practice, particularly in stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, although clinical applications are still lagging behind the atlas content progress. Atlas functionality also has been relatively neglected until recently, as the management of brain data explosion requires powerful tools. We suggest that the future human brain atlas-related research and development activities shall be founded on and benefit from a standard framework containing the core virtual brain model cum the brain atlas platform general architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wieslaw L Nowinski
- John Paul II Center for Virtual Anatomy and Surgical Simulation, University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski, Woycickiego 1/3, Block 12, room 1220, 01-938, Warsaw, Poland.
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Abstract
We have recently witnessed an explosion of large-scale initiatives and projects addressing mapping, modeling, simulation and atlasing of the human brain, including the BRAIN Initiative, the Human Brain Project, the Human Connectome Project (HCP), the Big Brain, the Blue Brain Project, the Allen Brain Atlas, the Brainnetome, among others. Besides these large and international initiatives, there are numerous mid-size and small brain atlas-related projects. My contribution to these global efforts has been to create adult human brain atlases in health and disease, and to develop atlas-based applications. For over two decades with my R&D lab I developed 35 brain atlases, licensed to 67 companies and made available in about 100 countries. This paper has two objectives. First, it provides an overview of the state of the art in brain atlasing. Second, as it is already 20 years from the release of our first brain atlas, I summarise my past and present efforts, share my experience in atlas creation, validation and commercialisation, compare with the state of the art, and propose future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wieslaw L Nowinski
- John Paull II Center for Virtual Anatomy and Surgical Simulation, University of Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski in Warsaw, Poland
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