title: Description of a poorly differentiated carcinoma within the brainstem of a white whale (Delphinapterus leucas) from magnetic resonance images and histological analysis.
abstract: In this study we used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate neuroanatomical structure in the brain of a white whale (Delphinapterus leucas) that died from a large tumor within the brainstem. This specimen was also compared with a normal white whale brain using MRI. MRI scans of the white whale specimen show how the tumor deformed surrounding brain structure. Histopathological analysis indicated a poorly differentiated carcinoma of uncertain origin. These analyses demonstrate the usefulness of supplementing histological analyses of pathology with studies of gross morphology facilitated by MRI.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, San Diego, California, USA.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ridgway
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lipscomb
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000473:pathology*; D020295:Brain Stem Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D014907:Whales