Fig 1.
A simplified image processing pipeline.
High resolution T2-weighted images were intensity corrected and automatically segmented for white matter, grey matter and cerebrospinal fluid. In next step the images were transformed to brain template which allowed applying labels (ie. identification of brain structures defined in brain atlas). Back-transformation to original dimension allowed identification of brain structures in the original images and calculation of volumes of the pre-defined structures.
Fig 2.
Representative coronal T2-weighted MR images of WWCPS (A-C), BN (D-F) and Wistar rat (G-I).
Fig 3.
Brain size in WWCPS, BN and Wistar rats. (A) Absolute (ie. non-normalized) volumes expressed in mm3. (B) Ratio of brain volume to body weight (normalized values) in WWCPS, BN and Wistar rats. Lines represent medians, dots represent individual values Symbols represent Bonferroni corrected significance levels: *p<0.017 BN vs. WWCPS; ###p<0.0003 Wistar vs. WWCPS; ++p<0.003, +++p<0.0003 BN vs. Wistar.
Table 1.
Mean brain to body weight ratio (±SD) and mean percentage of various brain structures in WWCPS, BN and Wistar rats (ie. normalized data).
Fig 4.
Results of automated segmentation (black bars) was compared with manual segmentation of the hippocampi (grey bars) for all the individuals included in the study. The graph presents non-normalized data. Means ± SD.
Fig 5.
Relative volumes (normalized to individual brain volumes) of cortical brain structures in WWCPS, BN and Wistar rats.
Lines represent medians, dots represent individual values. Symbols represent Bonferroni corrected significance levels: *p<0.017, **p<0.003 BN vs. WWCPS; ##p<0.003, ###p<0.0003 Wistar vs. WWCPS; +p<0.017, +++p<0.0003 BN vs. Wistar.
Fig 6.
Relative volumes of brain structures (normalized to individual brain volumes) in WWCPS, BN and Wistar rats.
Lines represent medians, dots represent individual values. (A) The olfactory bulbs, (B) olfactory nuclei, (C) amygdala and (D) hippocampus. The olfactory bulbs were segmented manually and the other structures were segmented automatically. Symbols represent Bonferroni corrected significance levels: ** p<0.003, ***p<0.0003 BN vs. WWCPS; ##p<0.003, ###p<0.0003 Wistar vs. WWCPS; +++p<0.0.0003 BN vs. Wistar.