Purpose: The present study was conducted to measure the longitudinal and vertical lengths
of the brain hemisphere, longitudinal length of the corpus callosum (CC), and distances
of CC from the frontal and occipital poles, in order to define its topographic location
within the brain hemispheres. Materials and Methods: Fifty formalin-fixed human brains were dissected in the midsagittal plane. The parameters
measured were as follows: (i) straight distance between frontal and occipital pole
(AB); (ii) vertical distance (height) between the upper and lower surface of the brain
hemisphere (CD); (iii) frontal pole to anterior-most point of CC (EG); (iv) occipital
pole to posterior-most point of CC (ZO); (v) anterior-most point to posterior-most
point of CC (EZ); and (v) anterior edge of genu to the upper end of lamina terminalis
(EF). Results: The mean value of AB, CD, EG, ZO, EZ, and EF was 15.47 ± 0.94 cm, 9.48 ± 0.83 cm,
3.31 ± 0.29 cm, 5.65 ± 0.54 cm, 6.96 ± 0.55 cm, and 2.1 ± 0.39 cm, respectively. AB
had the strongest positive correlation with ZO (0.79), whereas CD (height) had it
with EZ (0.59). Both AB and CD had a strong positive correlation with EZ. The ratios
EZ/AB = 0.45 (P = 0.001) and EZ/CD = 0.73 (P = 0.003) illustrated a steady and significant
proportions, present in all the brains studied. Although the mean values of all the
parameters were greater in males than in females, only two parameters (ZO and EZ)
showed statistically significant (P < 0.05) gender differences. Conclusion: The precise anatomical knowledge regarding the morphometry of CC will provide baseline
data for the diagnosis and progression of disease affecting it.
Key-words:
Callosotomy - corpus callosum - intractable epilepsy - length - morphometry
