title: An anatomic review of thalamolimbic fiber tractography: ultra-high resolution direct visualization of thalamolimbic fibers anterior thalamic radiation, superolateral and inferomedial medial forebrain bundles, and newly identified septum pellucidum tract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Images obtained through ultra-high-field 7.0-tesla magnetic resonance imaging with track-density imaging provide clear, high-resolution tractograms that have been hitherto unavailable, especially in deep brain areas such as the limbic and thalamic regions. This study is a largely pictorial description of the deep fiber tracts in the brain using track-density images obtained with 7.0-T diffusion-weighted imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  To identify the fiber tracts, we selected 3 sets of tractograms and performed interaxis correlation between them. These tractograms offered an opportunity to extract new information in areas that have previously been difficult to examine using either in vivo or in vitro human brain tractography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With this new technique, we identified 4 fiber tracts that have not previously been directly visualized in vivo: septum pellucidum tract, anterior thalamic radiation, superolateral medial forebrain bundle, and inferomedial forebrain bundle.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We present the high-resolution images as a tool for researchers and clinicians working with neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases, such as Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease, and depression, in which the accurate positioning of deep brain stimulation is essential for precise targeting of nuclei and fiber tracts.
authors: Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Zang-Hee
authors: ZH
authors: Cho
authors: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. Electronic address: meng.law@gmail.com.
authors: Meng
authors: M
authors: Law
authors: Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Je-Geun
authors: JG
authors: Chi
authors: Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Sang-Hen
authors: SH
authors: Choi
authors: Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Sung-Yeon
authors: SY
authors: Park
authors: Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors: Alexandra
authors: A
authors: Kammen
authors: Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Chan-Woong
authors: CW
authors: Park
authors: Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors: Se-Hong
authors: SH
authors: Oh
authors: Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Young-Bo
authors: YB
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020643:Anterior Thalamic Nuclei / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008032:Limbic System / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008474:Medial Forebrain Bundle / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D012688:Septum Pellucidum / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: Affective disorders; Alzheimer disease; Anterior thalamic radiation; Deep brain stimulation; Depressive disorder; Diffusion tensor imaging; Inferomedial medial forebrain bundle; Limbic system; Magnetic resonance Imaging; Parkinson disease; Septum pellucidum tract; Superolateral medial forebrain bundle; Track density imaging; Tractography; Ultra high field MRI