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Central sulcus

The central sulcus, also known as the Rolandic fissure, is a prominent anatomical landmark of the human brain that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe. It demarcates the precentral gyrus (primary motor cortex) anteriorly from the postcentral gyrus (primary somatosensory cortex) posteriorly. Its identification is crucial in neuroimaging as it guides localization of critical functional areas, especially in planning neurosurgical interventions and understanding neurological deficits.

Synonyms

  • Central fissure

  • Rolandic fissure

  • Fissure of Rolando

Function

  • Serves as the anatomical boundary between the frontal and parietal lobes

  • Separates the primary motor cortex (precentral gyrus) from the primary somatosensory cortex (postcentral gyrus)

  • Aids in the localization of functional cortical areas during imaging and surgery

  • Plays a crucial role in sensorimotor integration

Arterial Supply

  • Primarily supplied by the branches of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), especially the central (Rolandic) branches

  • Superior aspects may receive additional supply from the anterior cerebral artery (ACA)

  • Small cortical branches penetrate and supply the adjacent gyri

Venous Drainage

  • Drained mainly by superficial cortical veins

  • Central sulcal vein follows the course of the sulcus and empties into the superior sagittal sinus

  • Additional drainage via anastomoses with the superficial middle cerebral vein

MRI Appearance

T1-weighted:

  • Appears as a hypointense (dark) linear groove between the slightly more hyperintense cortical gyri

  • Clearly demarcates the precentral and postcentral gyri

T2-weighted:

  • Appears as a hyperintense (bright) CSF-filled sulcus

  • Provides excellent contrast between the gray and white matter, with the sulcus appearing bright due to CSF signal

FLAIR (Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery):

  • Sulcus appears hypointense (dark) as CSF signal is suppressed

  • Helps differentiate abnormal high-signal intensity lesions near the sulcus from normal CSF

CT Appearance

  • The central sulcus appears as a linear hypodense (dark) groove between adjacent cortical gyri

  • Best seen in the axial plane as a deep, continuous groove, particularly at the "omega sign" (hand knob region)

  • Its identification can be challenging on non-contrast CT, especially in elderly patients with cerebral atrophy or in the presence of edema or mass effect

MRI images

Central sulcus MRI 3T axial image

MRI images

Central sulcus MRI 3T sagittal image