MRI-Visible Anatomy of the Basal Ganglia and Thalamus

Conventional MR imaging does not discriminate basal ganglia and thalamic internal anatomy well. Radiology reports describe anatomic locations but not specific functional structures. Functional neurosurgery uses indirect targeting based on commissural coordinates or atlases that do not fully account for individual variability. We describe innovative MR imaging sequences that improve the visualization of normal anatomy in this complex brain region and may increase our understanding of basal ganglia and thalamic function. Better visualization also may improve treatments for movement disorders and other emerging functional neurosurgery targets. We aim to provide an accessible review of the most clinically-relevant neuroanatomy within the thalamus and basal ganglia.