Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Jul 29:18:1398858.
doi: 10.3389/fnana.2024.1398858. eCollection 2024.

Triangular fossa of the third cerebral ventricle - an original 3D model and morphometric study

Alin Horatiu Nedelcu #  1 , Vasile Valeriu Lupu #  2 , Ancuta Lupu #  2 , Razvan Tudor Tepordei #  1 , Ileana Ioniuc #  2 , Cristinel Ionel Stan #  1 , Simona Alice Partene Vicoleanu #  1 , Ana Maria Haliciu #  1 , Gabriel Statescu #  1 , Manuela Ursaru #  3 , Ciprian Danielescu #  3 , Cristina Claudia Tarniceriu #  1
Affiliations

Triangular fossa of the third cerebral ventricle - an original 3D model and morphometric study

Alin Horatiu Nedelcu et al. Front Neuroanat. .

Abstract

Introduction: The triangular recess (TR), also called triangular fossa or vulva cerebri, represents the anterior extension of the diencephalic ventricle, located between the anterior columns of the fornix and the anterior white commissure. Over time, this structure of the third cerebral ventricle generated many disputes. While some anatomists support its presence, others have opposite opinions, considering that it only becomes visible under certain conditions. The aim of the study is to demonstrate the tangible structure of the triangular recess. Secondly, the quantitative analysis allowed us to establish an anatomical morphometric standard, as well as the deviations from the standard.

Materials and methods: Our study is both a quantitative and a qualitative evaluation of the triangular fossa. We dissected 100 non-neurological adult brains, which were fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution for 10 weeks. The samples are part of the collection of the Institute of Anatomy, "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi. We highlighted the triangular fossa by performing dissections in two stages at the level of the roof of the III ventricle.

Results: The qualitative analysis is a re-evaluation of the classical data concerning the anatomy of the fossa triangularis. We proposed an original 3D model of the triangular recess in which we described a superficial part called vestibule and a deep part called pars profunda. We measured the sides of the communication between the two proposed segments, as well as the communication with the III ventricle. By applying the Heron's formula, we calculated the area of the two communications. Statistical evaluations have shown that these communications are higher than they are wide. In addition, there is a statistical difference between the surfaces of the two communications: 34.07 mm2 ± 7.01 vs. 271.43 mm2 ± 46.36 (p = 0.001).

Conclusion: The outcome of our study is both qualitative and quantitative. Firstly, we demonstrated the existence of the triangular fossa and we conceived a spatial division of this structure. Secondly, the measurements carried out establish an anatomo-morphometric norm of the triangular recess, which is useful in assessing the degree of hydrocephalus during the third endoscopic ventriculoscopy.

Keywords: Schwalbe’s fossa; anterior commissure; endoventricular navigation; third ventricle; triangular recess; ventriculoscopy; vestibulum; vulva cerebri.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Denudation of third ventricle’s roof, stage I: 1. Corpus callosum; 2. Body of fornix; 3. Anterior pillars of the fornix; 4. Posterior pillars of the fornix; 5. Caudate nucleus; 6. Thalamic nuclei; 7. Optostriat sulcus and vein, lamina affixa and tenia semicircularis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Denudation of third ventricle’s roof, stage II: 1. Corpus callosum; 2. Body of fornix; 3. Anterior pillars of the fornix; 4. Posterior pillars of the fornix; 5. Caudat nucleus; 6. Thalamic nuclei; 7. Optostriat sulcus and vein, lamina affixa and tenia semicircularis; 8. Tenia thalami (habena); 9. Epiphiseal recessus; 10. Comissura rostralis; 11. Fossa triangularis; 12. Interthalamic adhesion.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Triangular recess: (A) Roof of the third ventricle (arrow indicates the Triangular recess) (B) Morphometric parameters of the triangular recess. Pars profunda: Cc = the base; FC = left wall; Fc = right wall; Pars superficialis: Aa = the base; FA = left wall; Fa = right wall. 1. Corpus callosum; 2. Fornix; 3. Caudate nucleus; 4. Optostriat sulcus; 5. Thalamus; 6. Interthalamic adhesion; 7. Anterior crus of fornix; 8. Commissura rostralis; 9. Recessus subcommissuralis and lamina terminalis.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Triangular recess. (A) Anatomical landmark; 1. Corpus callosum; 2. Fornix; 3. Crus of fornix; 4. Commissura rostralis. (B) Spatial processing; 1. Medial wall of left crus of fornix; 2. Superior surface of commissura rostralis; 3. Retro-subcomisural area. The black arrow indicates the supracomisural segment of lamina terminalis. The white arrow indicates the entry into triangular recess.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Correlation between posterior wall and ventricular aperture (Heron’s formula).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Abdala-Vargas N. J., Cifuentes-Lobelo H. A., Ordoñez-Rubiano E., Patiño-Gomez J. G., Villalonga J. F., Lucifero A. G., et al. . (2022). Anatomic variations of the floor of the third ventricle: surgical implications for endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Surg. Neurol. Int. 27:218. doi: 10.25259/SNI_404_2022 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Asghar A., Narayan R. K., Kumar P., Ravi K. S., Tubbs R. S., Patra A., et al. . (2023). Absence of the interthalamic adhesion (ITA) as a neuroanatomical association or risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Indian J. Psychiatry 65, 985–994. doi: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_744_22, PMID: - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Azab W. A., Mijalcic R. M., Abdelnabi E. A., Khan T. A., Mohammad M. H., Shaat M. S. (2015). Infundibular recess angle reduction after endoscopic third ventriculostomy: does it reflect clinical success? World Neurosurg. 84, 549–554. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2015.04.007, PMID: - DOI - PubMed
    1. Borghei A., Cothran T., Brahimaj B., Sani S. (2020). Role of Massa intermedia in human neurocognitive processing. Brain Struct. Funct. 225, 985–993. doi: 10.1007/s00429-020-02050-5, PMID: - DOI - PubMed
    1. Cerro Larrazabal L., Ibáñez Botella G., Ros Sanjuán Á., Ros López B., Iglesias Moroño S., Arráez Sánchez M. Á. (2023). Neuroendoscopic transventricular transchoroidal approach for access to the posterior zone of the third ventricle or pineal region. Neurosurg. Rev. 46:323. doi: 10.1007/s10143-023-02210-1 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources