<p>A brain atlas is going to, typically, be a set of images or volume that is labeled anatomically or functionally.  Typically one would take a single volume of data and register or align it to the atlas (or vice-versa).</p>
<p>Parcellation is a way of segmenting sub-regions of a particular region of the brain. (What a &quot;region&quot; is or &quot;sub-region&quot; might be a bit up for debate).</p>
<p>One could do image registration / alignment of an MRI data volume to an atlas (that is parcellated or segmented) and then the parcellation can be applied to the MRI data volume.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-11T13:37:53.663Z
Welcome brechmos! No real need to add "This is an older post" prefixes. :) The general idea on Stack Exchange is that the question might be useful to other people than the original poster. Thanks for contributing!
Steven Jeuris
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2019-06-11T12:17:25.247Z
2023-01-25T14:47:55.467Z
2023-01-25T14:47:55.467Z
brechmos
<p>I come from a computer science background and am just starting out in the area of analyzing brain imaging data (fMRI predominantly) and while going through some of the literature, I am kind of confused about the difference between a brain atlas and a brain parcellation? </p>

<p>Are the two used interchangeably? Does one correspond to anatomical units and the other to functional units? </p>

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2018-10-19T13:20:03.190Z
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Chris Rogers
<neuroimaging><fmri>
What is the difference between an Atlas and a Parcellation?
Fahad
# What is the difference between an Atlas and a Parcellation?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-10-18)

I come from a computer science background and am just starting out in the area of analyzing brain imaging data (fMRI predominantly) and while going through some of the literature, I am kind of confused about the difference between a brain atlas and a brain parcellation?

Are the two used interchangeably? Does one correspond to anatomical units and the other to functional units?

**Tags:** neuroimaging, fmri

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Welcome to Psychology.SE! Please take the [tour] and read the [help]. What books have you read, or internet searching have you tried to answer your question? Please help us to help you and [edit] your question to provide more information on what you have read on this subject, what made you are ask this question, and any problems you are having understanding your research. If you need help, you can view our [ask] page. Thanks  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-06-11. Score: 1

A brain atlas is going to, typically, be a set of images or volume that is labeled anatomically or functionally. Typically one would take a single volume of data and register or align it to the atlas (or vice-versa).

Parcellation is a way of segmenting sub-regions of a particular region of the brain. (What a "region" is or "sub-region" might be a bit up for debate).

One could do image registration / alignment of an MRI data volume to an atlas (that is parcellated or segmented) and then the parcellation can be applied to the MRI data volume.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Welcome username_2! No real need to add "This is an older post" prefixes. :) The general idea on Stack Exchange is that the question might be useful to other people than the original poster. Thanks for contributing!  

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