Automated manifold surgery: constructing geometrically accurate and topologically correct models of the human cerebral cortex

• Published in: IEEE transactions on medical imaging 2001-01, Vol.20 (1), p.70-80
• Main Authors: Fischl, B., Liu, A., Dale, A.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brain; Brain modeling; Cerebral cortex; Cerebral Cortex - anatomy & histology; Computer applications; Deformable models; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Image segmentation; Imaging, Three-Dimensional; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Mathematical models; Medical imaging; Medical sciences; Nervous system; Neuroimaging; Neurology; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Solid modeling; Spatial resolution; Surface topography; Surgery; Topology
• ISSN: 0278-0062; 1558-254X
• DOI: 10.1109/42.906426

Highly accurate surface models of the cerebral cortex are becoming increasingly important as tools in the investigation of the functional organization of the human brain. The construction of such models is difficult using current neuroimaging technology due to the high degree of cortical folding. Even single voxel mis-classifications can result in erroneous connections being created between adjacent banks of a sulcus, resulting in a topologically inaccurate model. These topological defects cause the cortical model to no longer be homeomorphic to a sheet, preventing the accurate inflation, flattening, or spherical morphing of the reconstructed cortex. Surface deformation techniques can guarantee the topological correctness of a model, but are time-consuming and may result in geometrically inaccurate models. In order to address this need the authors have developed a technique for taking a model of the cortex, detecting and fixing the topological defects while leaving that majority of the model intact, resulting in a surface that is both geometrically accurate and topologically correct.