Visit the Whole Brain Atlas #

While this tool is outdated and many parts are no longer functioning, it still contains useful information.

Disclaimer: This content was generated with the assistance of AI and then reviewed and edited by BrainMaster Technologies, Inc. It is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Overview #

The Whole Brain Atlas is an educational and reference digital resource focused on brain anatomy, neuroimaging, and neuropathology. The site is maintained by Keith A. Johnson, M.D. and J. Alex Becker, Ph.D.
It presents a structured set of modules that cover:

• Normal brain anatomy and physiology (including aging)

• Vascular disorders (stroke, hemorrhage, vascular dementia)

• Neoplastic (tumor) disease of the brain

• Degenerative brain diseases (e.g., Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s)

• Inflammatory and infectious brain disease (e.g., multiple sclerosis, encephalitis)

• A suite of imaging-tools: MRI, PET, functional MRI, MRA, SPECT, diffusion imaging, etc.

The overall goal is to provide interactive visual tools (movies, image sets, tours) and didactic text so that learners (students, clinicians, researchers) can gain familiarity with normal brain structure and pathology in a neuroimaging context.

Key Tools & Features #

Here are the major tools and features the site offers, and how they can be useful.

1. Neuroimaging Primer (lecture notes) #

• A section titled “Neuroimaging Primer – Harvard Medical School lecture notes: Introduction to Neuroimaging”. Harvard Medical School

• This serves as a conceptual foundation: presenting key imaging modalities, how to interpret them, what protocols show what anatomy or pathology.

2. Normal Anatomy in 3-D with MRI/PET (Javascript) #

• A module titled “NEW: Normal Anatomy in 3-D with MRI/PET (Javascript)”. Harvard Medical School

• This is an interactive 3-D anatomy viewer (via JavaScript) which allows users to explore normal brain structure with MRI and PET overlays.

3. Thematic Modules by Disease Category #

The site breaks pathology into categories, each containing imaging cases and often “Tours” or time‐lapse movies. Examples:

• Normal aging: structure and function (coronal plane) Harvard Medical School

• Vascular anatomy: multiple embolic infarction, acute stroke, chronic subdural hematoma, arteriovenous malformation, vascular dementia etc. Harvard Medical School

• Neoplastic disease: glioma (with TlTc-SPECT), glioma (with FDG‐PET), metastatic adenocarcinoma, meningioma, sarcoma etc. Harvard Medical School

• Degenerative disease: Alzheimer’s disease (with FDG/PET, fMRI), Huntington’s disease, motor neuron disease, Pick’s disease etc. Harvard Medical School

• Inflammatory/infectious disease: Multiple sclerosis (with time‐lapse movies), AIDS dementia, Lyme encephalopathy, Herpes encephalitis (with “tour”), Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, Toxoplasmosis etc. Harvard Medical School

4. Interactive “Tours” & Time-Lapse Imaging #

• For many disease modules, the site provides “Tours” (for example: Alzheimer’s disease with functional MRI) or time‐lapse movies (for example: acute stroke, subdural hematoma) Harvard Medical School

5. “Top 100 Brain Structures” & “Can you name these brain structures?” #

• Modules labelled “Top 100 Brain Structures” and “Can you name these brain structures?” Harvard Medical School

Strengths & Professional Value #

• High-quality imagery: The site uses high-resolution MRI, PET, diffusion imaging, MRA, etc., which are clinically relevant.

• Educational organization: It’s systematically organized by normal versus disease, and by disease category; this makes it easy to navigate and use as a reference.

• Interactive tools: The 3-D viewer, tours, and time-lapse imaging enhance engagement and deep learning rather than passive reading.

• Clinical relevance: Because the cases are real pathology and the modalities cover what is used in practice (MRI, PET, SPECT, etc.), it bridges anatomy to clinical imaging.

• Accessibility: The site is publicly accessible and affiliated with a credible institution (Harvard Medical School) which lends trustworthiness.

• Self-study friendly: The quiz modules and structured lists make it possible for users to use this site independently rather than only in guided teaching.

Use Cases: How This Could Be Useful to You #

Depending on your role and goals, you might employ the site in several ways:

• Medical students / anatomy learners: Use the normal anatomy modules and “Top 100 Brain Structures” to learn brain anatomy, and then use the disease modules to see how normal anatomy deviates in pathology.

• Residents (neurology, radiology, neurosurgery): Use the pathology modules (stroke, tumors, degenerative disease) as quick references or refreshers before reading cases, conferences, rounds. The time‐lapse imaging and tours are great for refreshers.

• Research or teaching faculty: Use as a teaching tool in lectures (e.g., show the 3-D anatomy module to introduce a lecture on brain structure; use the disease tours for case discussions).

• Allied health professionals (radiologic technologists, physician assistants, nurses): Use to better understand what the images show and how structure relates to function/pathology, thereby enhancing visualization skills and communication with physicians.

• Self-learners / continuing medical education: Use the site for self-paced review of neuroimaging and neuroanatomy; it can help refresh fundamentals and also stay current with imaging appearances of brain disease.

Considerations & Limitations #

• The site uses some older technology (e.g., a Java‐based “Atlas Navigator”) which may be less compatible with modern browsers or mobile devices.

• As with any web-based atlas, image interpretation still requires clinical context, supervision, and correlation with actual patient history, labs, etc. The site is a teaching/reference tool, not a substitute for full diagnostic radiology review.

• The examples, while comprehensive, might not cover every variation or rare pathology; users should be aware of that when relying on it for unusual cases.

• The site’s interface and labeling might not be as polished or interactive as some modern commercial teaching platforms, but the content quality remains strong.