title: Stereological evaluation of the volume and volume fraction of newborns' brain compartment and brain in magnetic resonance images.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Brain development in early life is thought to be critical period in neurodevelopmental disorder. Knowledge relating to this period is currently quite limited. This study aimed to evaluate the volume relation of total brain (TB), cerebrum, cerebellum and bulbus+pons by the use of Archimedes' principle and stereological (point-counting) method and after that to compare these approaches with each other in newborns.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was carried out on five newborn cadavers mean weighing 2.220 ± 1.056 g with no signs of neuropathology. The mean (±SD) age of the subjects was 39.7 (±1.5) weeks. The volume and volume fraction of the total brain, cerebrum, cerebellum and bulbus+pons were determined on magnetic resonance (MR) images using the point-counting approach of stereological methods and by the use of fluid displacement technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (±SD) TB, cerebrum, cerebellum and bulbus+pons volumes by fluid displacement were 271.48 ± 78.3, 256.6 ± 71.8, 12.16 ± 6.1 and 2.72 ± 1.6 cm3, respectively. By the Cavalieri principle (point-counting) using sagittal MRIs, they were 262.01 ± 74.9, 248.11 ± 68.03, 11.68 ± 6.1 and 2.21 ± 1.13 cm3, respectively. The mean (± SD) volumes by point-counting technique using axial MR images were 288.06 ± 88.5, 275.2 ± 83.1, 19.75 ± 5.3 and 2.11 ± 0.7 cm3, respectively. There were no differences between the fluid displacement and point-counting (using axial and sagittal images) for all structures (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study presents the basic data for studies relative to newborn's brain volume fractions according to two methods. Stereological (point-counting) estimation may be accepted a beneficial and new tool for neurological evaluation in vivo research of the brain. Based on these techniques we introduce here, the clinician may evaluate the growth of the brain in a more efficient and precise manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Erciyes, Kayseri, 38039, Turkey. mehtaph@erciyes.edu.tr
authors.forename: Mehtap
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nisari
authors.forename: Tolga
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ertekin
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozçelik
authors.forename: Serife
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cınar
authors.forename: Selim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Doğanay
authors.forename: Niyazi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Acer
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D002102:Cadaver; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009929:Organ Size; D011149:Pons / Q000033:anatomy & histology