• Nicolas Menjot de Champfleur, Igor Lima Maldonado, Sylvie Moritz-Gasser, Paolo Machi, Emmanuelle Le Bars, Alain Bonafé, and Hugues Duffau.
• Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Center, Gui de Chauliac Hospital, Montpellier, France. nicolasdechampfleur@orange.fr
• Eur J Radiol. 2013 Jan 1;82(1):151-7.

IntroductionThe existence in the human brain of the middle longitudinal fasciculus (MdLF), initially described in the macaque monkey, is supported by diffusion tensor imaging studies. In the present work, we aim (1) to confirm that this fascicle is found constantly in control subjects with the use of DTI techniques and (2) to delineate the MdLF from the other fiber bundles that constitute the language pathways.Materials And MethodsTractography was realized in four right-handed healthy volunteers for the arcuate fascicle, uncinate fascicle, inferior fronto-occipital fascicle, inferior longitudinal fascicle and the middle longitudinal fascicle. The fiber tracts were characterized for their size, mean fractional anisotropy (FA), for their length, number of streamlines, and lateralization indices were calculated.ResultsThe MdLF is found constantly and it is clearly delineated from the other fascicles that constitute the language pathways, especially the ventral pathway. It runs within the superior temporal gyrus white matter from the temporal pole, then it extends caudally in the upper part of the sagittal stratum and the posterior part of the corona radiata, to reach the inferior parietal lobule (angular gyrus). We found a leftward asymmetry for all fiber tracts when considering the mean FA.DiscussionUsing DTI methods, we confirm that the MdLF connects the angular gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus. On the basis of these findings, the role of the MdLF is discussed.ConclusionThe middle longitudinal fasciculus, connects the angular gyrus and the superior temporal gyrus and its course can be systematically differenciated from those of other fascicles composing both ventral and dorsal routes (IFOF, IFL, AF and UF).Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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