Radioanatomical study of guinea pig cervical vertebrae based on CT scan findings

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Zahra Yaghobzadeh 1
Nohammadreza Hosseinchi 2
Siamak Alizadeh 3
1 D.V.M. Graduate Student, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ur. C., Islamic Azad University, Urmia- Iran.
2 Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ur. C., Islamic Azad University, Urmia- Iran
3 Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nag. C., Islamic Azad University, Naghadeh- Iran
10.22034/ijvcs.2025.15053.1119
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the morphology and morphometry of the cervical vertebrae of guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) based on computed tomography (CT) images. In this descriptive cross-sectional study used 10 healthy guinea pigs (5 males and 5 females). Following anesthesia of each guinea pig, CT scans were performed from the beginning of the atlas vertebra to the extremity of the seventh cervical vertebra in the transverse, sagittal, and dorsal planes. According to the findings of this study, the wings of the atlas vertebra are wide and each process has a lateral foramen that is better visible in the dorsal plane. In the middle of the alar notch of this vertebra, a groove is visible that leads to the lateral foramen of this vertebra. The odontoid process or dens of the C2 vertebra is seen as an elongated, rounded protrusion on sagittal and dorsal CT images. The transverse process of the C6 vertebra has with ventral portion and a dorsal portion separated by a notch. The C3 and C7 vertebrae had the lowest and highest VH respectively (P≤0.05). The values ​​of TDCrVF and VDCrVF parameters in the atlas vertebra were higher than in other vertebrae (P≤0.05). The findings of this study can be utilized to the teaching of computed tomographic anatomy of the cervical vertebrae of the guinea pig, the interpretation of CT scan images, as well as performing clinical and treatment examinations this lovely pet.
Keywords
Anatomy
Computed tomography
Guinea pig
Cervical vertebrae
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Iranian Journal of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Volume 19, Issue 1 - Serial Number 32
Spring & Summer 2025
August 2025
Pages 21-35