The central sulcal vein: a landmark for identification of the central sulcus using functional magnetic resonance imaging

✓ The authors evaluated the anatomical location of the central sulcus (CS) in 24 cerebral hemispheres (eight in which tumors were located centrally, 16 in controls) using: 1) classic anatomical landmarks seen on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (24 hemispheres); 2) functional MR imaging (24 hemispheres); and 3) intraoperative electrical stimulation mapping (eight hemispheres). On MR imaging the CS was identified with certainty in 79% of hemispheres (four of eight in patients, 15 of 16 in controls). Functional MR imaging identified a parenchymal “motor hand area” in only 83% (20 of 24 hemispheres; five of eight in patients, 15 of 16 in controls); this area was located in the precentral gyrus in 16 (80%) of 20, additionally in the postcentral gyrus in 10 (50%) of 20, and exclusively in the postcentral gyrus in four (20%) of 20. In contrast, functional MR imaging detected one to three sulcal veins presumably draining blood from the adjacent motor hand area in 100% (24 of 24) of the hemispheres studied, and an...