Jean Talairach
Encyclopedia
Jean Talairach was a neurosurgeon
who practiced at the Centre Hospitalier Ste. Anne in Paris
.
and applied medicine
is the Talairach coordinate system
of the human brain
, which is used to describe the location of brain structures independent from individual differences in the size and overall shape of the brain. Another significant contribution is toward construction of brain atlases.
The Talairach coordinate system is defined by making two points, the anterior commissure
and posterior commissure
, lie on a straight horizontal line. Since these two points lie on the midsagittal plane, the coordinate system is completely defined by requiring this plane to be vertical. Distances in Talairach coordinates are measured from the anterior commissure as origin. Talairach coordinates are sometimes also known as stereotaxic coordinates.
By defining standard anatomical landmarks that could be identified on different subjects (the anterior and posterior commissures), it became easier to spatially warp an individual brain image obtained through Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI), positron emission tomography
(PET) and other imaging methods to this 'standard Talairach space'. One can then make inferences about tissue identity at a specific location by referring to the atlas.
Indeed, in the foreword to their monograph, Talairach & Tournoux note that "Because of the variability in brain size, specifically at the level of the telencephalon
, this method is valid with precision only for the brain under consideration."
The slice separations were uneven ranging between 3 mm to 4 mm, and there was inconsistency in the orthogonal plane sections.
Another disadvantage is the approximate method of labeling a tissue-specific Brodmann area
based on gross visual inspection rather than histological examination.
Nonetheless, the Talairach atlas is an invaluable tool in modern neuroimaging, and paved the way for more representative brain atlases including the MNI atlas from the Montreal Neurological Institute
.
that the right hemisphere has positive X values, the anterior part has positive Y values, and the superior part has positive Z values; with AC being at coordinate 0,0,0
J. Talairach and P. Tournoux, "Referentially Oriented Cerebral MRI Anatomy: An Atlas of Stereotaxic Anatomical Correlations for Gray and White Matter", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 1993
Electronic Talairach Atlases on CD-ROMs
W.L. Nowinski, A. Thirunavuukarasuu, A.L. Benabid, "The Cerefy Clinical Brain Atlas: Enhanced Edition with Surgical Planning and Intraoperative Support", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 2005
W.L. Nowinski and A. Thirunavuukarasuu, "The Cerefy Clinical Brain Atlas on CD-ROM", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 2004
W.L. Nowinski, A. Thirunavuukarasuu, R.N. Bryan, "The Cerefy Atlas of Brain Anatomy: An Introduction to Reading Radiological Scans for Students, Teachers, and Researchers", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 2002
W.L. Nowinski, A. Thirunavuukarasuu, D.N. Kennedy, "Brain Atlas for Functional Imaging: Clinical and Research Applications", Thieme, New York, 2000
W.L. Nowinski, R.N. Bryan, R. Raghavan, "The Electronic Clinical Brain Atlas: Multiplanar Navigation of the Human Brain", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 1997 (foreword written by Dr. Jean Talairach)
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
who practiced at the Centre Hospitalier Ste. Anne in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Talairach coordinates
Among his contributions to scienceScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and applied medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
is the Talairach coordinate system
Coordinate system
In geometry, a coordinate system is a system which uses one or more numbers, or coordinates, to uniquely determine the position of a point or other geometric element. The order of the coordinates is significant and they are sometimes identified by their position in an ordered tuple and sometimes by...
of the human brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
, which is used to describe the location of brain structures independent from individual differences in the size and overall shape of the brain. Another significant contribution is toward construction of brain atlases.
The Talairach coordinate system is defined by making two points, the anterior commissure
Anterior commissure
The anterior commissure is a bundle of nerve fibers , connecting the two cerebral hemispheres across the midline, and placed in front of the columns of the fornix...
and posterior commissure
Posterior commissure
The posterior commissure is a rounded band of white fibers crossing the middle line on the dorsal aspect of the upper end of the cerebral aqueduct. It is important in the bilateral pupillary light reflex....
, lie on a straight horizontal line. Since these two points lie on the midsagittal plane, the coordinate system is completely defined by requiring this plane to be vertical. Distances in Talairach coordinates are measured from the anterior commissure as origin. Talairach coordinates are sometimes also known as stereotaxic coordinates.
By defining standard anatomical landmarks that could be identified on different subjects (the anterior and posterior commissures), it became easier to spatially warp an individual brain image obtained through Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging
Magnetic resonance imaging , nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , or magnetic resonance tomography is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to visualize detailed internal structures...
(MRI), positron emission tomography
Positron emission tomography
Positron emission tomography is nuclear medicine imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image or picture of functional processes in the body. The system detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by a positron-emitting radionuclide , which is introduced into the body on a...
(PET) and other imaging methods to this 'standard Talairach space'. One can then make inferences about tissue identity at a specific location by referring to the atlas.
Limitations
Talairach atlas is based upon postmortem sections of a 60-year-old French female who had a smaller than average brain size. This means that most individual brains must be considerably warped to fit the small size of the atlas, inducing some error.Indeed, in the foreword to their monograph, Talairach & Tournoux note that "Because of the variability in brain size, specifically at the level of the telencephalon
Telencephalon
The cerebrum or telencephalon, together with the diencephalon, constitutes the forebrain. The cerebrum is the most anterior region of the vertebrate central nervous system. Telencephalon refers to the embryonic structure, from which the mature cerebrum develops...
, this method is valid with precision only for the brain under consideration."
The slice separations were uneven ranging between 3 mm to 4 mm, and there was inconsistency in the orthogonal plane sections.
Another disadvantage is the approximate method of labeling a tissue-specific Brodmann area
Brodmann area
A Brodmann area is a region of the cerebral cortex defined based on its cytoarchitectonics, or structure and organization of cells.-History:...
based on gross visual inspection rather than histological examination.
Nonetheless, the Talairach atlas is an invaluable tool in modern neuroimaging, and paved the way for more representative brain atlases including the MNI atlas from the Montreal Neurological Institute
Montreal Neurological Institute
The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital is an academic medical centre dedicated to neuroscience research, training and clinical care. The Institute is part of McGill University and the Hospital is one of the five teaching hospitals of the McGill University Health Centre, in Montreal,...
.
Uses
The Talairach atlas of anatomy constructed initially for stereotactic and functional neurosurgery is also used in human brain mapping, neuroradiology, medical image analysis, and neuroscience education. An enhanced and extended electronic version of this atlas, fully segmented and labeled, is also constructed http://www.cerefy.com. It is available for various applications on five CD-ROMs distributed by Thieme (the original publisher of the Talairach atlases 1988 and 1993). The CD-ROMs published in 1997, 2004, and 2005 also contain another atlas built by Talairach: the referentially oriented atlas with brain connections.See also
Talairach coordinates isthat the right hemisphere has positive X values, the anterior part has positive Y values, and the superior part has positive Z values; with AC being at coordinate 0,0,0
Literature
J. Talairach and P. Tournoux, "Co-planar Stereotaxic Atlas of the Human Brain: 3-Dimensional Proportional System - an Approach to Cerebral Imaging", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 1988J. Talairach and P. Tournoux, "Referentially Oriented Cerebral MRI Anatomy: An Atlas of Stereotaxic Anatomical Correlations for Gray and White Matter", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 1993
Electronic Talairach Atlases on CD-ROMs
W.L. Nowinski, A. Thirunavuukarasuu, A.L. Benabid, "The Cerefy Clinical Brain Atlas: Enhanced Edition with Surgical Planning and Intraoperative Support", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 2005
W.L. Nowinski and A. Thirunavuukarasuu, "The Cerefy Clinical Brain Atlas on CD-ROM", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 2004
W.L. Nowinski, A. Thirunavuukarasuu, R.N. Bryan, "The Cerefy Atlas of Brain Anatomy: An Introduction to Reading Radiological Scans for Students, Teachers, and Researchers", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 2002
W.L. Nowinski, A. Thirunavuukarasuu, D.N. Kennedy, "Brain Atlas for Functional Imaging: Clinical and Research Applications", Thieme, New York, 2000
W.L. Nowinski, R.N. Bryan, R. Raghavan, "The Electronic Clinical Brain Atlas: Multiplanar Navigation of the Human Brain", Thieme Medical Publishers, New York, 1997 (foreword written by Dr. Jean Talairach)