Method for preparing permanent brain slices and serial slice images for education and MRI correlation

Abstract

It is important to understand the anatomical structures of the human brain in horizontal planes. Serially sectioned brain slices can easily be made with a meat slicer. The objective of this research was to enhance the educational value of serial brain slices made with a meat slicer through various applications. Two brains were taken out of two cadavers and embedded with gelatin solution to make two brain blocks. The first brain block was serially sectioned at 5 mm thickness using a meat slicer to make 28 horizontal brain slices. Each brain slice was embedded with a synthetic resin mixture to make 28 permanent specimens. The second brain block was magnetic resonance-scanned at 1.4 mm thickness to make 130 horizontal magnetic resonance images, then serially sectioned at the same thickness using the meat slicer to make 130 horizontal brain slices. Each brain slice was scanned into a computer to make a series of slice images. Ten anatomical structures in the slice images were outlined to make segmented images. Corresponding magnetic resonance images, slice images, and segmented images were stacked and volume-reconstructed to make three-dimensional images, which were sectioned and rotated at free angles. We show that the serial brain slices made with a meat slicer can be permanently preserved and used in a variety of educational settings. Anat Rec (Part B: New Anat) 289B:64-71, 2006. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.