Brain dissection photogrammetry: a tool for studying human white matter connections integrating ex-vivo and in-vivo multimodal datasets

Overview & Synopsis

Understanding the architecture of the white matter (WM) of the human brain is central to neuroscience and clinics. Despite major advances in tractography and WM dissection, integrating these complementary techniques remains a longstanding challenge. Here, we introduce BraDiPho (Brain Dissection Photogrammetry), the first open-access resource of high-resolution, fully textured 3D digital models of layer-by-layer WM microdissection. The models are registered to their radiological space, allowing direct alignment of dissection and neuroimaging data. BraDiPho includes eight hemispheres, enriched with sample tractography bundles, anatomical annotations, and cortical atlases, establishing a unified framework for multimodal analyses. Four case studies demonstrate how BraDiPho supports anatomically grounded investigations, moving beyond classical side-by-side comparisons toward accurate integration of ex-vivo dissection and in-vivo tractography. All data, tools, and scripts are openly available, enabling customized research and educational applications. BraDiPho represents a transformative step in structural neuroanatomy, setting a new standard for multimodal investigations of human brain connectivity.