title: MRI of postmortem specimens of endangered species for comparative brain anatomy.
abstract: Many of the 5,500 threatened species of vertebrates found worldwide are highly protected and generally unavailable for scientific investigation. Here we describe a noninvasive protocol to visualize the structure and size of brain in postmortem specimens. We demonstrate its utility by examining four endangered species of kiwi (Apteryx spp.). Frozen specimens are thawed and imaged using MRI, revealing internal details of brain structure. External brain morphology and an estimate of brain volume can be reliably obtained by creating 3D models. This method has facilitated a comparison of brain structure in the different kiwi species, one of which is on the brink of extinction. This new approach has the potential to extend our knowledge of brain structure to species that have until now been outside the reach of anatomical investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy with Radiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jeremy R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Corfield
authors.forename: J Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Brett R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parsons
authors.forename: M Fabiana
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Kubke
mesh_terms: D000717:Anatomy, Comparative; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D046108:Palaeognathae / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013045:Species Specificity