<p><strong>Short answer</strong><br>
Magnetic resonance imaging can be used to calculate volumes of brain areas. </p>

<p><strong>Background</strong><br>
A state-of-the-art method to determine volumes in brain tissue is by making use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI segments the brain into 3D pixels, called <strong><a href="https://medium.com/retronator-magazine/pixels-and-voxels-the-long-answer-5889ecc18190" rel="nofollow noreferrer">voxels</a></strong>. Voxel is derived semantically from the fusion of pixel and volume. Hence, each voxel has a certain volume and thus the number of voxels inside a certain brain area (<em>e.g.</em> the hippocampus) can be calculated yielding your desired volume measures (Fig. 1). </p>

<p>Of course you cannot do MRI in your attic, but you can search the internet for the right articles. Two leads are cited below.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/0DnFV.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/0DnFV.jpg" alt="voxels"></a><br>
<sup>Fig. 1. Brain divided into voxels by MRI. source: <a href="http://www.everythingzoomer.com/predicting-alzheimers/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Everything Zoomer</a></sup></p>

<p><sub><strong>References</strong><br>
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29132939" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Andica <em>et al</em>., <em>J Neuroradiol</em> (in press)</a><br>
<strong>-</strong> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11881838" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Aquartz <em>et al</em>., <em>Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci</em> (2001);<strong>251</strong>(6): 255-61</a></sub> </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-25T22:54:29.340Z
2017-12-25T22:59:40.503Z
2017-12-25T22:59:40.503Z
AliceD
<p>How is the approximate volume occupied by a brain component calculated?</p>

<p>For example, how would you know the approximate brain volume percentage of both <em>hippocampi</em> or both parts of the striatum, or the cortices of the brain?</p>

<p>Is there an application that I, as a non-neuroscientist could use to get such an estimation for a given part in the human brain?</p>

<neuroscience><measurement><neuroanatomy>
Calculating brain-part volume percentage?
Arcticooling
# Calculating brain-part volume percentage?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-25)

How is the approximate volume occupied by a brain component calculated?

For example, how would you know the approximate brain volume percentage of both *hippocampi* or both parts of the striatum, or the cortices of the brain?

Is there an application that I, as a non-neuroscientist could use to get such an estimation for a given part in the human brain?

**Tags:** neuroscience, measurement, neuroanatomy


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-12-25. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

**Short answer**  
Magnetic resonance imaging can be used to calculate volumes of brain areas.

**Background**  
A state-of-the-art method to determine volumes in brain tissue is by making use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI segments the brain into 3D pixels, called **[voxels](https://medium.com/retronator-magazine/pixels-and-voxels-the-long-answer-5889ecc18190)**. Voxel is derived semantically from the fusion of pixel and volume. Hence, each voxel has a certain volume and thus the number of voxels inside a certain brain area (*e.g.* the hippocampus) can be calculated yielding your desired volume measures (Fig. 1).

Of course you cannot do MRI in your attic, but you can search the internet for the right articles. Two leads are cited below.

[![voxels](https://i.sstatic.net/0DnFV.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/0DnFV.jpg)  
Fig. 1. Brain divided into voxels by MRI. source: [Everything Zoomer](http://www.everythingzoomer.com/predicting-alzheimers/)

**References**  
**-** [Andica *et al*., *J Neuroradiol* (in press)](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29132939)  
**-** [Aquartz *et al*., *Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci* (2001);**251**(6): 255-61](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11881838)


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