Calculation of Intracranial Volume in Van Cats by Stereological Method

Abstract

Stereology is a powerful scientific method for estimating the real attributes of three-dimensional structures using calculations on two-dimensional photographs. The goal of this study was to determine the cerebral volume of cats using stereological cranial computed tomography (CT) and to uncover dimorphic differences. The study employed 16 adult Van cats (8 females and 8 males). A multislice CT equipment was utilized to scan the craniums of the cats involved in the study. Stereological computations were performed using 12 section images from cranial CT sections with intracranial borders calculated using a systematic random sampling procedure. Linear measurements of the intra-cranial region were also taken. When the findings were analysed, it was discovered that intracranial volume values differed across sexes (P<0.05). It was determined that the measured linear parameters and calculated index values did not show dimorphism between the sexes (P>0.05). As a result, it is thought that the determination of the intracranial volumes of Van cats using stereology method will contribute to clinical sciences in terms of diagnosis, detection and treatment of diseases and will allow the comparison of volume values calculated with different methods.

Keywords

• Cavalieri’s principle
• intracranial volume
• neurocranium
• stereology

Van Kedilerinde İntracranial Hacmin Stereolojik Yöntemle Hesaplanması

Abstract

Stereoloji, üç boyutlu olan yapıların, iki boyutlu görüntüleri üzerinden hesaplamalar yaparak gerçek özelliklerinin tahmininin yapılabildiği etkili bilimsel bir yöntemdir. Bu çalışmada kedilerin kranial bilgisayarlı tomografi (BT) kullanıla-rak intrakranial hacminin stereolojik olarak belirlenmesi ve dimorfik farklılıklarının ortaya konulması amaçlandı. Çalış-mada 16 adet (8 dişi, 8 erkek) erişkin Van Kedisi kullanıldı. Kullanılan kedilerin kranium’ları, çok kesitli BT cihazı ile tarandı. İntrakranial sınırları belirlenen BT kesitlerinden sistematik rastgele örneklem yöntemiyle 12 kesit görüntüsü alınarak stereolojik hesaplamalar yapıldı. Ayrıca intrakranial bölgenin lineer ölçümleri alındı. Elde edilen sonuçlar de-ğerlendirildiğinde intrakranial hacim değerlerinin cinsiyetler arasında dimorfizm gösterdiği belirlendi (P<0.05). Ölçülen lineer parametreler ve hesaplanan index değerlerinin ise cinsiyetler arası dimorfizm göstermediği belirlendi (P>0.05). Sonuç olarak Van kedilerinin intrakranial hacimlerinin stereoloji yöntemi kullanarak belirlenmesi hem hastalıkların tanı, tespit ve tedavileri açısından klinik bilimlere katkı sağlayacağı hem de farklı metotlarla hesaplanan hacim değerlerinin karşılaştırılmasına imkan sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

• Cavalieri prensibi
• intrakranial hacim
• neurocranium
• stereoloji

References

1. Acer N, Sahin B, Bas O, Ertekin T, Usanmaz M. Comparison of three methods for the estimation of total intracranial volume: stereologic, planimetric, and anthropometric approaches. Ann Plas Surg 2007; 58(1): 48‐53.
2. Altındal F, Onur Ş, Acar K. İnsan craniumlarında in-trakranial hacim, basis cranii externa yüzey alanı ve foramen magnum kesitsel alanı arasındaki ilişki. Pam Tıp Derg 2018; 11(3): 237-49.
3. Black KJ. On the efficiency of stereologic volumetry as commonly implemented for three-dimensional digital images. Psychiatry Res 1999; 90(1): 55-64.
4. Caruso PA, Roberston R, Setty B, Grant E. Disorders of brain development. Atlas SA. ed. In: Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain and Spine. Fourth Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009; pp. 194-271.
5. Demircioglu I, Demiraslan Y, Gurbuz I, Dayan MO. Examination of the topography and morphometry of Hypophysis (Glandula pituitaria) in New Zea-land rabbit by computed tomography. Atatürk Uni-versity J Vet Sci 2021a; 16(2): 170-5.
6. Demircioğlu İ, Koçyiğit A, Aydoğdu S, İnce NG, Yılmaz B. Calculation of the intracranial volume in Gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) by stereology and computed tomography. Harran Üniv Vet Fak Derg 2021b; 10(2): 178-83.
7. Demircioğlu İ, Koçyiğit A, Demiraslan Y, Yilmaz B, Ince NG, Aydoğdu S, Dayan MO. Digit bones (Acropodium) of gazella (Gazella subgutturosa); Three-dimensional modelling and morphometry. Pak Vet J 2021c; 41(4): 481-6.
8. Diab KM, Ollmar S, Sevastik JA, Willers U, Svensson A. Volumetric determination of normal and scoliotic vertebral bodies. Eur Spine J 1998; 7(4): 282-8.

9. Evans HE, De Lahunta A. Miller's Anatomy of The Dog. Fourth Edition. Missouri, USA: Elsevier Health Sciences 2013; pp. 70-156.
10. Gundersen HJG, Jensen EB. The efficiency of systematic sampling in stereology and its prediction. J Microsc 1987; 147(3): 229‐63.
11. Howard V, Reed M. Unbiased Stereology: Three-Dimensional Measurement in Microscopy. Oxford: Bios Scientific Publishers 1998; pp. 39-65.
12. Kalra MK, Maher MM, Toth TL, Hamberg LM, Blake MA, Shepard JA, Saini S. Strategies for CT radiation dose optimization. Radiology 2004; 230(3): 619‐28.
13. König HE, Liebich HG. Veterinary Anatomy of Domestic Animals: Textbook and Colour Atlas. New York, USA: Georg Thieme Verlag 2020; pp. 39-162.
14. Kurtoğlu E. Değişik yazılımlar kullanılarak beyin hac-minin ve yüzey alanının MR görüntüleri ile hesaplanması, Yüksek lisans tezi, Erciyes Üniv Sağ Bil Enst, Kayseri 2013; s. 13-67.
15. Künzel W, Breit S, Oppel M. Morphometric investigations of breed‐specific features in feline skulls and considerations on their functional implications. Anat Histol Embryol 2003; 32(4): 218‐23.
16. MacKillop E. Magnetic resonance imaging of intracranial malformations in dogs and cats. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2011; 52(1): 542-51.
17. Manjunath KY. Estimation of cranial volume in dissecting room cadavers. J Anat Soc India 2002; 51(2):168Y172.
18. Mayhew TM, Gundersen HJ. If you assume, you can make an ass out of u and me': A decade of the disector for stereological counting of particles in 3D pace. J Anat 1996; 188(Pt 1): 1-15.
19. Mayhew TM, Mwamengele GLM, Dantzer V. Comparative morphometry of the mammalian brain: Estimates of cerebral volumes and cortical surface areas obtained from macroscopic slices. J Anat 1990; 172: 191-200.
20. Onar V, Kahvecioglu KO, Çebi V. Computed tomographic analysis of the cranial cavity and neurocranium in the German shepherd dog (Alsatian) puppies. Vet Arh 2002; 72(2): 57‐66.
21. Prokop M. General principles of MDCT. Eur J Radiol 2003; 45: 4‐10.
22. Regodon S, Franco A, Garin JM, Robina A, Lign-ereux Y. Computerized tomographic determination of the cranial volume of the dog applied to racial and sexual differentiation. Acta Anat (Basel) 1991; 142(4): 347‐50.
23. Roberts N, Cruz‐Orive LM, Reid NMK, Brodie DA, Bourne M, Edwards RHT. Unbiased estimation of human body composition by the Cavalieri method using magnetic resonance imaging. J Microsc 1993; 171(3): 239‐53.
24. Roberts N, Garden AS, Cruz-Orive LM, Whitehouse GH, Edwards RH. Estimation of fetal volume by magnetic resonance imaging and stereology. Br J Radiol 1994; 67(803):1067-77.
25. Roberts N, Puddephat MJ, McNulty, V. The benefit of stereology for quantitative radiology. Br J Radiol 2000; 73(871): 679-97.
26. Rodrigues RTS, Matos WCG, Walker FM, Costa FS, Wanderley CWS, Neto JP, Faria MD. Dimensions of the cranium and of the cranial cavity and intra-cranial volume in goats (Capra hircus LINNAEUS, 1758). J Morphol Sci 2010; 27(1): 6‐10.
27. Sahin B, Aslan H, Unal B, Canan S, Bilgic S, Kaplan, S, Tumkaya L. Brain volumes of the lamb, rat and bird do not show hemispheric asymmetry: A stereological study. Image Anal Stereol 2001; 20(1): 9-13.
28. Sahin B, Emirzeoglu M, Uzun A, Incesu L, Bek Y, Bilgic S, Kaplan S. Unbiased estimation of the liver volume by the Cavalieri principle using magnetic resonance images. Eur J Radiol 2003; 47(2): 164-70.
29. Schofield PW, Mosesson RE, Stern Y, Mayeux R. The age at onset of Alzheimer's disease and an intracranial area measurement: A relationship. Arch Neurol 1995; 52(1): 95‐8.
30. Yılmaz O, Tuğrul T. Van kedilerinde total beyin hac-minin bilgisayarlı tomografi görüntüleri kullanılarak hesaplanması. Eurasian J Bio Chem Sci 2019; 2(2): 42‐6.