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Skin landmarks to main cerebral structures: how to identify the main cerebral sulci? A radiological study about lateral, central, and parietooccipital sulci

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Abstract

Purpose

In a previous cadaveric work, we identified and described useful and reproducible surface skin landmarks to lateral sulcus, central sulcus and preoccipital notch. Potential limitations of this cadaveric study have been raised. Thus, the objective of this study was to confirm radiologically the accuracy of these previously described surface skin landmarks on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of healthy subjects.

Methods

Healthy adult volunteers underwent a high-resolution brain MRI and measurements of the orthogonal skin projection (OSP) of the anterior sylvian point (AsyP), the superior Rolandic point (SroP) and the parietooccipital sulcus were made from nasion, zygomatic bone and inion, respectively. These measures were compared to our previous cadaveric findings.

Results

Thirty-one healthy volunteers were included. ASyP was 33 ± 2 mm above the zygomatic arch, and 32.3 ± 3 mm behind the orbital rim. The lateral sulcus was 63.5 ± 4 mm above the tragus. The SRoP was 196.9 ± 6 mm behind the nasion. The superior point of the parietooccipital sulcus was 76.0 ± 4 mm above the inion. These measurements are comparable to our previously described cadaveric findings.

Conclusion

We here described three useful, simple and reproducible surface skin landmarks to lateral, central and parietooccipital sulci. Knowledge of these major landmarks is mandatory for Neurosurgical practice, especially in an emergency setting.

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Availability of data and materials

Dr. Roblot had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Data are available on request to the corresponding author.

Code availability

Not applicable.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery A, University Hospital of Bordeaux, Place Amélie Raba-Léon, 33076, Bordeaux, France

    Paul Roblot, Lorenzo Mongardi, Dominique Liguoro, Jean-Rodolphe Vignes & Vincent Jecko

  2. Laboratory for Experimental Surgery, DETERCA Pr Vignes, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

    Paul Roblot, Jade Le Quilliec, Lorenzo Mongardi & Jean-Rodolphe Vignes

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, APHP, Hôpital de La Pitié-Salpêtrière, 75013, Paris, France

    Etienne Lefevre

  4. Sorbonne Université, Paris, France

    Etienne Lefevre

  5. Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Unit, PRISMATICS Lab (Predictive Research in Spine/Neuromodulation Management and Thoracic Innovation/Cardiac Surgery), Poitiers University Hospital, University of Poitiers, 86000, Poitiers, France

    Romain David

  6. Institute of Bioimaging, University of Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France

    Laurent Denat & Thomas Tourdias

  7. Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Neuroimaging, Pellegrin Hospital, place Amélie-Raba-Léon, 33000, Bordeaux, France

    Thomas Tourdias

  8. Laboratory of Anatomy, University of Bordeaux, 33000, Bordeaux, France

    Dominique Liguoro & Vincent Jecko

Authors
  1. Paul Roblot
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  2. Etienne Lefevre
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  3. Romain David
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  4. Jade Le Quilliec
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  6. Laurent Denat
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  8. Dominique Liguoro
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  9. Jean-Rodolphe Vignes
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  10. Vincent Jecko
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul Roblot.

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All the authors declare: no support from any organization for this study; no financial relationships with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work.

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This study has not been published before; it is not under consideration for publication anywhere else; its publication has been approved by all co-authors, and at the institute where the work has been carried out.

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Roblot, P., Lefevre, E., David, R. et al. Skin landmarks to main cerebral structures: how to identify the main cerebral sulci? A radiological study about lateral, central, and parietooccipital sulci. Surg Radiol Anat 44, 941–946 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-022-02952-5

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