The Brainstem Stroke Atlas, Part 1: What Every Neuroradiologist Needs to Master the Anatomy and Expertly Diagnose Brainstem Stroke Syndromes

This article provides a quick and easy-to-use reference for brainstem anatomy, intended for radiologists and other health care professionals. It includes a text description of the brainstem tracts, nuclei, and microvasculature, as well as a novel, color-coded atlas of axial high-resolution MRI. The atlas provides a comprehensive overview of the brainstem, from the cervicomedullary junction to the midbrain thalamic junction. The color-coding scheme allows easy identification of critical structures, making the atlas a valuable tool for radiologists who need to quickly and accurately interpret brainstem imaging studies.Learning Objective: To describe the embryology and anatomy of the brainstem, understand the vascular anatomy of the brainstem, identify the vital functional systems of the brainstem, and interpret the involved structures in brainstem strokes and other disorders.