Encephalic study of adult, mature and geriatric cats by magnetic resonance imaging

Author(s)

Viviam Rocco Babicsak

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Botucatu. 2016-04-27.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Botucatu
• Defense date: 2016-02-29
• Advisor: Luiz Carlos Vulcano

Abstract

The study aimed to determine age related changes in the brain of healthy domestic cats by MRI. The hypotheses of this study are that cats show dilatation of cerebral ventricular system, brain atrophy and focal changes in the intensity of the brain signal as advancing age. Multiplanar images on T1-weighted, T2-weighted, FLAIR, GRE T2 and post-contrast T1-weighted sequences were obtained from 12 adult (1-6 years), 11 mature (7-11 years) and 10 geriatric cats (12 years or more) in an low-field MRI equipment. The height and the percentage of the right lateral ventricle volume in relation to the intracranial volume, as well as the width and the percentage of the third ventricle volume in relation to the intracranial volume, were significantly higher in geriatric compared to the adult animals. The geriatric cats also demonstrated thickness of the interthalamic adhesion and percentage of cerebral parenchymal volume in relation to intracranial volume significantly lower than those found in the adult group. The results of this study confirm the hypotheses related to ventricular dilatation, specifically of the right lateral ventricle and third ventricle, and cerebral atrophy, as well as the interthalamic adhesion, with increasing age in cats. However, the results have not ratified the hypothesis related to the cerebellar atrophy and focal changes in the intensity of the brain signal in cats as advancing age. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/18750-3 - ENCEPHALIC STUDY OF ADULT, MATURE AND GERIATRIC DOMESTIC CATS BY MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
• Grantee: Viviam Rocco Babicsak
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate