Morphometric Analysis of the Skull in the Holstein Cow: A Computed Tomography Study

Abstract

Most craniometric studies have been conducted on dry skulls. This study aims to identify the craniometric characteristics of the skull in Holstein cows using Computed Tomography (CT) imaging. Fourteen Holstein cow heads were utilized, scanned via CT, and images were processed with the DICOM Viewer software program. Seventeen craniometric measurements (13 extracranial, 4 intracranial) were obtained through the program's multiplanar reconstruction tool, and 14 indexes were calculated based on these morphometric data. In Holstein cow, total length was 519.4 ±21.7 mm, basal length was 472.1 ±22.2 mm, viscerocranium length was 288.4 ±17.4 mm. Further, the greatest frontal breadth was 225.4±8.5 mm, while the length of the cranial cavity1, length of the cranial cavity2, maximum width, and maximum height of the cranial cavity were 140.5 ±6.4, 116.8 ±4.3, 103.3 ±4.4 and 96.6 ±4.7 mm, respectively. Skull index was 43.4±1.3, facial index was 78.3±3.7, basal index was 47.8±1.8, foramen magnum index was 83.1 ±3.2, cranial cavity index1 was 73.6 ±4.6, and length-width index1 was found to be 136.3 ±8.1. This study provides initial reference data on the morphometric properties of the Holstein cow skull, derived through a reproducible measurement protocol. These findings offer valuable insights for veterinary anatomists, radiologists, clinicians, and researchers in terms of both the data and methodology presented. Craniometric data may assist in diagnosing head region pathologies, pre-surgical planning (such as trepanation, dehorning, and facial surgery), and in applications of regional anesthesia. Additionally, these findings have potential future applications in assessing skull morphology changes related to breed and gender, and in correlating skull dimensions with meat and milk production data.

Keywords

• Bovine
• Cephalometry
• Craniology

Holstein Sığırında Kafatasının Morfometrik Analizi: Bilgisayarlı Tomografi Çalışması

Abstract

Craniometrik çalışmaların büyük çoğunluğu kuru kafatası üzerinde gerçekleştirilmiştir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Holstein sığırında Bilgisayarlı tomografi (BT) görüntüler üzerinde kafatasının craniometrik özelliklerini belirlemektir. Bu çalışmada toplam 14 adet dişi Holstein sığır başı kullanıldı. Başlar BT ile tarandı ve görüntüler DICOM Viewer yazılım programına aktarıldı. Programın multiplanar reconstruction aracı kullanılarak toplam 17 kraniyometrik (13 ekstracranial-4 intracranial) ölçüm gerçekleştirildi ve bu morfometrik veriler kullanılarak 14 adet index hesaplandı. Holstein sığırında total uzunluk 519.4±21.7, basal uzunluk 472.1±22.2, viscerocranium uzunluğu 288.4±17.4, frontal genişlik 225.4±8.5 mm iken, cavum cranii uzunluğu1, cavum cranii uzunluğu2, cavum cranii’nin maksimum genişliği ve yüksekliği sırasıyla 140.5±6.4, 116.8±4.3, 103.3±4.4 ve 96.6±4.7mm idi. Skull index 43.4±1.3, facial index 78.3±3.7, basal index 47.8±1.8, foramen magnum index 83.1±3.2, cavum cranii index1 73.6±4.6 ve uzunluk-genişlik index1 136.3±8,1 olarak belirlendi. Holstein sığırında tekrarlanabilir bir ölçüm protokolü ile kafatasının morfometrik özelliklerine ait ilk referans niteliğinde veriler elde edildi. Araştırma sonuçları hem sunulan veriler yönüyle hem de metodoloji yönüyle veteriner anatomistler, radyologlar, klinisyenler ve diğer araştırmacılara fayda sağlayabilir. Kraniometrik bilgi, baş bölgesinde şekillenebilecek patolojilerin tanısında, cerrahi öncesi planlamada (trepanasyon, boynuz kesimi ve yüz bölgesi cerrahisi vb.), bölgesel anestezi uygulamalarında katkı saylayabilir. Ayrıca bulgular gelecekte ırk ve cinsiyete bağlı kafatası morfolojisinin gelişimsel değerlendirilmesinde, etçi ve sütçü ırklarda kafatası boyutları arasındaki ilişkinin tanımlanmasında kullanılabilir.

Keywords

• Sığır
• Sefalometri
• Craniyoloji

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