title: Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and skull of sheep with cerebral coenurosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine MRI characteristics of the skulls and brains of sheep with chronic cerebral coenurosis (CC) caused by naturally acquired Taenia multiceps infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  33 sheep with CC and 10 healthy control sheep.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sheep underwent MRI of the head. Volumes of the cranial cavity and rostral and caudal fossas of the cranial cavity were determined. For CC-affected sheep, the number, location, and volume of T multiceps cysts were determined and the percentage volumes of cysts in the cranial cavity and rostral and caudal fossas of the cranial cavity were calculated. Focal and diffuse abnormalities of cranial bones in CC-affected sheep were identified. Brain edema and hemorrhage and signs of increased cranial pressure (ICP) in MRI images were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Volumes of the cranial cavity and rostral and caudal fossas of the cranial cavity were significantly larger for CC-affected sheep versus healthy control sheep. Total volumes of cysts ranged from 4.40% to 46.93% in cranial cavities of sheep, 4.12% to 51.53% in rostral fossas of cranial cavities of sheep, and 15.24% to 68.30% in caudal fossas of cranial cavities of sheep. Moderate to severe diffuse cranial bone abnormalities and signs of increased ICP in MRI images were detected in 21 and 24 sheep, respectively, and were positively correlated with cyst volumes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggested that cranial cavity volume and morphological abnormalities can be detected in sheep with CC. These changes may reflect abnormalities in ossification of the cranial bones secondary to chronically increased ICP caused by development of T multiceps cysts.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy. lmanu@uniss.it
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Manunta
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Evangelisti
authors.forename: Giovanni P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Burrai
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Columbano
authors.forename: Ciriaco
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ligios
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varcasia
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Scala
authors.forename: Eraldo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanna Passino
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007558:Italy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D013621:Taenia / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013622:Taeniasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*