Abstract:
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).
Conclusion 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