16 Slice Computed Tomographic Imaging of Bovine Hydrocephalus

Abstract

A five day old female Jersey cross bred calf was presented with the history of no trauma, head pressing for the last 2 days. Neurological examination revealed quadriparesis and poor mental status but pupillary light reflex and menace reflexes were normal. Routine blood test and radiograph revealed normal study. The clinical suspicion was meningitis. Hence, Computerized Tomographic (CT) study of skull was planned to diagnose the lesion. Under fasting the animal underwent ketamine stun prior to CT procedure. CT images were acquired by 1mm slice thickness at the settings of 120 kV and 160 mAs using Toshiba 16 slices CT scanner. The CT images were reconstructed and interpreted as lateral ventricular area, height and volume were found to be abnormal. These were indicative of bilateral ventriculomegaly and hydrocephalus. Neurological diagnosis is always a clinical challenge in bovines but using CT, neurological diagnosis became easier as evidenced in this case study.