Pictorial Review of In Vivo Human Brain: From Anatomy to Molecular Imaging

Abstract

Recent advances in neuroimaging demonstrated many markedly improved images hitherto unavailable, specifically the areas that lie deep in the brain. The anatomic images of the deep brain structure taken in vivo using 7.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the molecular images using high resolution research tomography positron emission tomography, as well as the fusion images using state-of-art neuroimaging techniques can contribute to the noninvasive treatment of neurologic and psychiatric diseases. We present a pictorial review with selected brain images obtained from 7.0 T MRI, and the images of brain metabolic function accompanied with high resolution anatomic information obtained using the positron emission tomography-MRI fusion technique. In addition, we present some recent results of the cerebral microvasculature and diffusion tractography imaging for the deep brain areas acquired with 7.0 T MRI.