VOLUMETRIC EVALUATION OF THE BRAIN VENTRICLES IN NORMAL SUBJECTS USING MRI: A STEREOLOGICAL STUDY.

Abstract

The size of brain ventricles are especially relevant in some brain diseases such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and other neurodegenerative diseases. For this reason, the size of the brain ventricles has been the subject of many studies none of which has estimated total ventricles volume and volume fraction. The purpose of our study is to estimate the volume and volume fraction data related to the fourth, third, lateral ventricle. The volumes of fourth, third, lateral ventricle was estimated in 14 Turkish young volunteers (7 males and 7 females), aged between 18 and 36 who are free of any neurological symptoms and signs, using serial magnetic resonance (MR) images. The volumes of subjects were determined on MR images using, the point-counting and planimetry methods. The mean results of point-counting method were 14.7 +/- 4.2, 8.7 +/- 3.0 and 131.8 +/- 33.1 mm(3) in fourth, third and lateral ventricles, respectively. The mean results of planimetry method were 15.4 +/- 3.4, 8.6 +/- 3.5 and 153.7 +/- 34.6mm(3) in fourth, third and lateral ventricles, respectively. Ventricle volumes obtained by two different methods were not statistically different (p > 0.05) and they were correlated well to each other. Good agreement was found between results obtained with the point-counting and planimetry techniques. The findings of the present study using the stereological methods could provide data for the evaluation of normal and pathological volumes of the brain ventricles.