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Intraparietal sulcus

The Intraparietal sulcus (IPS) is a prominent longitudinal groove found in the lateral aspect of the parietal lobe of the brain. It plays a crucial role in dividing the parietal lobe into the superior and inferior parietal lobules and is involved in various cognitive and sensorimotor processes, including visuospatial attention, numeracy, and hand-eye coordination. The IPS serves as a major anatomical landmark and is often evaluated in neuroimaging studies due to its functional importance and involvement in several neurological conditions.

Synonyms:

  • IPS

  • Sulcus intraparietalis (Latin)

  • Interparietal sulcus (less commonly used)

Function:

  • Segregates the superior and inferior parietal lobules.

  • Involved in visuospatial processing and attention.

  • Plays a role in numerical cognition and arithmetic.

  • Essential for eye-hand coordination and reaching movements.

  • Integrates sensory information for perceptual and motor functions.

  • Implicated in working memory and perception of object orientation.

Arterial Supply:

  • Primarily supplied by branches of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), especially the parietal branches.

  • Supplementary supply from the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), especially at the medial and superior aspects.

Venous Drainage:

  • Drained mainly by the superior sagittal sinus via the superior cerebral veins.

  • Additional drainage through the superior anastomotic vein (vein of Trolard) and the inferior anastomotic vein (vein of Labbé), depending on the precise location within the sulcus.

MRI Appearance:

  • T1-Weighted Images:

    • The IPS appears as a hypointense (dark) linear groove separating the superior and inferior parietal lobules, filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

  • T2-Weighted Images:

    • CSF within the sulcus appears hyperintense (bright), providing clear delineation of the sulcus boundaries.

  • FLAIR Images:

    • The IPS appears as a linear, hypointense structure due to CSF suppression, but may be less conspicuous than on T2; any abnormal FLAIR signal may suggest pathology adjacent to or within the sulcus.

CT Appearance:

  • The IPS appears as a linear, low-density (dark) groove separating the gyri of the parietal lobe, filled with CSF.

  • Best appreciated on high-resolution or thin-section imaging; may become more prominent with brain atrophy or pathology.

MRI images

Intraparietal sulcus MRI 3T axial image

MRI images

Intraparietal sulcus MRI 3Tsagittal image