2/Temporal lobe can be divided centrally & peripherally. Centrally is the hippocampus. It’s a very old part of the brain & is relatively well preserved going all the way back to rats. Its main function is memory—getting both rats & us through mazes—including the maze of life
3/Peripherally is the neocortex. Although rats also have neocortex, theirs is much different structurally than humans.
So I like to think of neocortex as providing the newer (neo) functions of the temporal lobes seen in humans: speech, language, visual processing/social cues
4/So let’s start w/the oldest part of the temporal lobe, the hippocampus, and we will move clockwise from there.
5/Next to the hippocampus is the parahippocampal gyrus. I remember this b/c the hippocampus is the oldest part of the temporal lobe & older folks love to go in pairs. So this is the PAIR-ahippocampal gyrus—it pairs w/the old hippocampus
6/Next to the parahippocampal gyrus is the fusiform gyrus. I remember this b/c this gyrus bridges (some might say FUSES) the older, allocortex part of the temporal lobe (hippocampus/parahippocampal) w/the newer, neocortical structures. Fusiform gyrus is the neocortical bridge
7/Fusiform gyrus bridges the older temporal lobe w/the new lateral temporal neocortex.
I think the lateral neocortex looks like a parfait—w/the superior, middle, & inferior temporal gyri layered on top of the fusiform gyrus. Heschl’s transverse gyrus forms the strawberry on top
8/You can remember that the fusiform gyrus is at the bottom of this parfait b/c fusiform means elongated—and the stem of a parfait glass is elongated—almost fusiform!
9/You can remember that Heschl’s gyrus is the fruit on top b/c Heschl sounds like Bushel, and fruit to put on top comes in Bushels!
10/You can also see this parfait in the coronal plane, although it is a little tilted!
11/Last temporal lobe structure is the temporal stem. It is the white matter connecting the gyri of the temporal lobe to the rest of the brain. I remember this b/c I think the temporal lobe looks like an upside-down cauliflower—& the STEM of that cauliflower is the temporal STEM
12/So now you can remember the anatomy of the temporal lobe:
An old couple
A bridge fusing them to the next generation
A delicious parfait
All connected by a cauliflower stem.
I hope this new anatomy knowledge will be anything but temporary!
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1/The 90s called & wants its carotid imaging back!
It’s been 30 years--why are you still just quoting NASCET?
Do you feel vulnerable when it comes to identifying plaque vulnerability?
Here’s a thread to help you identify high risk plaques with carotid plaque imaging
2/Everyone knows the NASCET criteria:
If the patient is symptomatic & the greatest stenosis from the plaque is >70% of the diameter of normal distal lumen, patient will likely benefit from carotid endarterectomy.
But that doesn’t mean the remaining patients are just fine!
3/Yes, carotid plaques resulting in high grade stenosis are high risk.
But assuming that stenosis is the only mechanism by which a carotid plaque is high risk is like assuming that the only way to kill someone is by strangulation.
1/I always say you can tell a bad read on a spine MR if it doesn’t talk about lateral recesses.
What will I think when I see your read? Do you rate lateral recess stenosis?
Here’s a thread on lateral recess anatomy & a grading system for lateral recess stenosis
2/First anatomy.
Thecal sac is like a highway, carrying the nerve roots down the lumbar spine.
Lateral recess is part of the lateral lumbar canal, which is essentially the exit for spinal nerve roots to get off the thecal sac highway & head out into the rest of the body
3/Exits have 3 main parts.
First is the deceleration lane, where the car slows down as it starts the process of exiting.
Then there is the off ramp itself, and this leads into the service road which takes the car to the roads that it needs to get to its destination