MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE BRAIN AND CELOMIC CAVITY OF THE DOMESTIC PIGEON (COLUMBA-LIVIA DOMESTICA)

The technical feasibility of performing magnetic resonance imaging (MR I) in domestic pigeons was investigated. Imaging was performed with a 1.5 Tesla magnet using a human knee surface coil. The head and coelomi c cavity of isoflurane-anesthetized birds were imaged in the dorsal, s agittal, and transverse planes to produce TI-weighted, T2-weighted, an d contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. The birds were then euthanatiz ed, formalin perfused, frozen, and sectioned in the corresponding anat omic planes. The anatomy defined by MRI was correlated with gross anat omic sections made from the same birds. The following CNS structures w ere identified: cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum, optic chiasm, optic lobes, brain stem, and cranial spinal cord. The cornea, lens, and vitr eous were also well differentiated in dorsal section MRI's. The abdomi nal organs identified included proventriculus, ventriculus, intestines , cloaca, liver, kidneys, spleen, testes, and ovary. The hepatic and r enal vasculature were well defined.