Coronal View Concepts

Ashley Davidoff MD

The Common Vein Copyright 2010

Introduction

From the Front

In the frontal or coronal view the brain has an almost rectangular shapeMidline structures and predominantly the interhemispheric fissure divides the brain into two sides

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Frontal or Coronal View through the Middle of the Brain

In the frontal or coronal view the brain has an almost rectangular shape, particulkalrly when viewed in a cut that traverses the temporal lobe. The midline structures of the brain, and predominantly the interhemispheric fissure divides the brain into two sides (purple divider). By convention, the cranial or superior part of the brain is above, the inferior part below with the right of the patient to your left and the left of the brain to your right. This rendered image of and MRI of the brain confirms the almost rectangular shape of the brain from this view and reveals the frontoparietal part of the brain in the anterior cranial fossa above, and the temporal lobes in the middle cranial fossa below. The internal anatomy will be discussed as we advance

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Forebrain Midbrain and Hindbrain

In this T2 weighted MRI image – the forebrain (green) midbrain (orange) and hindbrain (pink salmon containing only a small portion of the cerebellum have been outlined The ventricular system is outlined in blue

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Midline Vertical Axis

The vertical axis of the brain in the coronal plane is represented by many midline structures which in general are key relaying organs of the brain They include the ventricular ssytem, midbrain, pons, medulla and spinal cord

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When the cut is taken anteriorly the anterior and middle cranial fossa are exposed, but if it is taken posteriorly the anterior and posterior cranial fossae are exposed.

Anteriorly Space for the Frontal and Parietal Lobes above and the Temporal Lobes below

Anteriorly the anterior and middle cranial fossae are apparent. Midline structures and predominantly the interhemispheric fissure divides the brain into two sides

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Important Fissural Landmarks in the Coronal Plane

In the same cut the fissural landmarks enable us to divide the brain into the two hemispheres (blue interhemispheric fissure) and the Sylvian fissure (red) divides the frontoparietal region in the anterior craial fossa from the temporal lobe in the middle cranial fossa.

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The Three Levels of the Cranium

The drawing reveals the three levels of the brain in the coronal plane corresponding in general to the anterior cranial fossa (upper level), middle cranial fossa (middle level) and posterior cranial fossa (lower level)

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The Horizontal lines and a Rough Guide to the Cranial Fossae

The horizontal axes divides the brain into the fossae in which the various parts of the brain reside. The top story is the anterior cranial fossa where most of the forebrain resides, the middle story is the middle cranial fossa where ythe temporal lobes and occipital lobes , and the ground floor is the posterior cranial fossa where the hindbrain resides

Courtesy Ashley Davidoff MD copyright 2010 89721c06b04.85s

The Cranial Fossae

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