OBJECTIVES

Computed Tomography is routinely used in the diagnosis and evaluation of many human diseases. Before any tools can become an effective diagnostic modality, normal species-specific data must be characterized. Having access to clinically relevant CT. anatomy of the cat is the basis of effective utilization of this modality in veterinary medicine. The purpose of this study is to identify anatomic structures of CT. images of the thoracic region of the Persian cat for using by veterinary radiologists, clinicians and surgeons.

MATERIALS

Five mature female Persian Cats were used in this study. At first, one of the animals was fixed by routine anatomical method. Following general anesthesia, the other animals were restrained in a customized restraining frame in sternal recumbency and the thoracic region was scanned by high resolution imaging, using a general diagnostic CT. system, with a slice thickness of 15 mm. Tomograms were made almost perpendicular to the long axis of the thoracic region. Following euthanasia, the cats were frozen with their frames and sectioned with cuts as closely as possible to the CT. slices. The cuts were studied twice, freshly and after being fixed in 10% formalin.

RESULTS

CT. images were compared with the fixed cat and anatomical slices. Thoracic skeleton was used as reference model. Finally relevant structures and landmarks were identified and labeled in CT. images.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study can be considered as reference data for diagnosis of abnormal conditions and evaluation of treatment procedures of the thoracic region. For next studies we suggest reduction of slice thickness to get more detailed image information. Also, resolution might be changed for differential diagnosis.