RELEVANT RADIOLOGICAL ANATOMY OF THE PIG AS A TRAINING MODEL IN INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY

The use of swine for teaching purposes in medicine and surgery has lar gely increased in recent years. Detailed knowledge of the porcine anat omy and physiology is a prerequisite for proper use of pigs as a teach ing or an experimental model in interventional radiology. A systematic study of the radiological anatomy was undertaken in more than 100 fem ale pigs aged 6-8 weeks. All studies were performed under general anes thesia in a single session. Animals were sacrificed at the end of the study. Selective angiographies were systematically obtained in all ana tomical territories. In other animals CT and MRI examinations were per formed and were correlated to anatomical sections and acrylic casts of the vascular structures. Endoscopical examinations of the upper gastr ointestinal tract, including retrograde opacification of the biliary a nd pancreatic ducts, were added in selected animals. The main angiogra phic aspects of the brain, head and neck, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis were recorded. Similarities and differences in comparison with human a natomy are stressed. Potential applications in interventional radiolog y are indicated.