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Topic

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Lateral occipitotemporal gyrus

The lateral occipitotemporal gyrus, also known as the fusiform gyrus, is a prominent convolution on the inferior aspect of the temporal and occipital lobes. Situated between the inferior temporal gyrus laterally and the parahippocampal gyrus medially, it plays a crucial role in higher visual processing, particularly in object and face recognition. Its distinct anatomical location and function make it clinically significant in neuroimaging and neurological assessment.

Synonyms

  • Fusiform gyrus

  • Occipitotemporal gyrus

  • Lateral fusiform gyrus

  • Brodmann area 37 (partly)

Arterial Supply

  • Primarily supplied by branches of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), specifically the posterior temporal branches and occipitotemporal branches

  • Additional minor contribution from the middle cerebral artery (MCA) via its inferior temporal branches

Venous Drainage

  • Drained mainly by the inferior sagittal sinus and superior sagittal sinus via superficial and deep venous systems

  • Drains into the basal vein of Rosenthal, inferior anastomotic vein (of Labbé), and then into the transverse sinus

Function

  • Involved in visual object recognition and processing of complex images

  • Critical for facial recognition (fusiform face area)

  • Plays a role in word recognition and reading (visual word form area)

  • Implicated in color processing and attention to detail

MRI Appearance

  • T2-weighted Imaging:

    • The gyrus appears as a well-demarcated cortical ribbon with hyperintense signal intensity relative to surrounding white matter

    • No intrinsic hyperintensity unless pathology is present

  • T1-weighted Imaging:

    • Cortical gray matter of the gyrus appears hypointense (darker) compared to the adjacent white matter

    • Maintains typical cortical thickness and morphology

  • FLAIR Imaging:

    • Similar to T2, but with suppression of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) signal, enhancing visibility of cortical and subcortical lesions

    • The lateral occipitotemporal gyrus remains isointense unless affected by pathology (e.g., gliosis, edema, infarct)

CT Appearance

  • Appears as a soft tissue density between the occipital and temporal bones, not individually distinguished without contrast

  • Gyrus is not directly visualized on standard CT but may show:

    • Loss of gray-white matter differentiation in cases of infarction or edema

    • Possible mass effect if involved in neoplastic or inflammatory processes

Summary Points

MRI images

Lateral occipitotemporal gyrus mri 3t axial image

CT image

Lateral occipitotemporal gyrus CT sagittal anatomy image -img-00001-00001