ENCEPHALIC STUDY OF ADULT, MATURE AND GERIATRIC DOMESTIC CATS BY MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Abstract

The increase in life expectancy of animals has resulted in an elevation in the assistance of elderly patients in veterinary clinics and hospitals. Several changes resulted from the process of senility were identified in the brain of canines and humans, such as volumetric tissue reduction, which is associated with enlargement of the cerebral sulci and ventricular dilatation. Changes in intensity in magnetic resonance imaging were also identified, and these are generally related to an ischemic origin. Due to paucity of research about the effects of senility in cats, in this study our goal was to evaluate the brain of adult, mature and geriatric domestic cats by magnetic resonance imaging. Through comparative analysis, the changes resulted from the process of senility will be determined in these animals, which will enable the differentiation of normal and abnormal processes and the verification of encephalic disorders, as a result. This study will also allow the determination of normal references related to the brain of the animals of this specie. In this research, 10 adult cats (aged 1 to 6 years old), 10 mature animals (between 7 and 12 years) and 10 geriatric subjects (12 years and above) will be selected. Animals with no history of neurological symptoms, considered healthy in general and neurologic physical evaluation, and with negative result for the feline immunodeficiency and leukemia virus through polymerase chain reaction, will be submitted to the magnetic resonance imaging procedure, with and without paramagnetic contrast. The images obtained will be evaluated in a qualitative and quantitative form and statistical analysis will be appropriately performed.