Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and skull of sheep with cerebral coenurosis

Objective—To determine MRI characteristics of the skulls and brains of sheep with chronic
cerebral coenurosis (CC) caused by naturally acquired Taenia multiceps infection.
Animals—33 sheep with CC and 10 healthy control sheep.
Procedures—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 and Clinical Relevance—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.