title: What is dorso-lateral in the subthalamic Nucleus (STN)?--a topographic and anatomical consideration on the ambiguous description of today's primary target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The most frequently used target for DBS in advanced Parkinson Disease (PD) is the sensorimotor subthalamic nucleus (STN), anatomically referred to as dorso-lateral STN [3]. Ambiguities arise, regarding the true meaning of this description in the STN. Does "dorsal" indicate posterior or superior? At its best, this definition assigns two directions in space to a three-dimensional structure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper evaluates the ambiguity and describes the sensorimotor part of the STN in stereotactic space.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany. vacoenen@aol.com
authors.forename: Volker A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Coenen
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prescher
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Picozzi
authors.forename: Frans L H
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Gielen
mesh_terms: D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D038361:Neuronavigation / Q000379:methods; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D020531:Subthalamic Nucleus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*