Applied anatomy of the skull in the Arabian horse: A computed tomographic, cross‐sectional, volumetric and morphometric study

Abstract

This study was conducted to present a comprehensive and integrative computed tomography (CT) -anatomical cross sections atlas of skull, volumetric properties of the paranasal sinuses, and morphometric values for surface cranial nerves in the adult Arabian horse. Ten heads of Arabian horse breed were used. The different structures in the nasal, oral and cranial cavities were determined and labelled in the anatomical sections and their corresponding CT scan images. Three paranasal sinuses namely maxillary, conchofrontal and sphenopalatine sinuses were identified in the CT scan images.The caudal maxillary sinus was the largest paranasal sinus with 131.93 ± 7.67 cm 3 volume and the sphenopalatine sinus 13.3 ± 1.2 cm 3 volume was the smallest one. The infraorbital foramen was located 4.16 ± 0.18 cm and 4.70 ± 0.35 cm far away from the most rostral point of the facial crest and alveolar root, respectively. The mean distance between the mental foramen and most lateral incisive tooth was 3.12 ± 0.29 cm. These results including present CT scan-cross-sectional atlas, paranasal sinuses volume and morphometric properties would be applicable in practice for more precise diagnosis of head lesions and blocking the surface terminal branches of the cranial nerves during surgical operations in this valuable horse's breed.

Sphenoid sinus in the Holstein cow: A sectional and 3D reconstructive anatomical study

“…In horses, the sphenoid sinus initially resides in the presphenoid bone, later extending to the basisphenoid bone with age. The sphenoid sinus typically merges with the palatine sinus to create the sphenopalatine sinus in horses (Bahar et al, 2014;Brinkschulte et al, 2013;Goodarzi et al, 2021;Köhler et al, 2021;Schummer et al, 1979) and is infrequently absent (Schummer et al, 1979).…”

“…In pigs, the sinus is substantial and extends to the temporal, occipital and palatine bones (Hillmann, 1975). In horses, the sphenoid sinus typically merges with the palatine sinus, forming the sphenopalatine sinus (Bahar et al, 2014;Brinkschulte et al, 2013;Goodarzi et al, 2021;Köhler et al, 2021). In buffaloes, Moustafa and Kamel (1971) and Alsafy et al (2013) identified the sinus, while Farag et al (2017) reported its absence.…”

CT and cross‐sectional anatomy of the paranasal sinuses in the Holstein cow

“…However, unlike some of the earlier reports, 2–4,13,17,19,21 it was reported in buffalo 20,26 and Egyptian sheep 18 that the dorsal conchal sinus communicates with the rostral frontal sinus. Similarly, in horses, this sinus is fused with the frontal sinus through a wide opening and opens into the middle nasal meatus through the maxillary sinus 1,3 , 8,9,11 . In the Holstein cow, the dorsal conchal sinus opens into the rostral frontal sinus like in buffaloes, Egyptian sheep, and horses.…”

“…Similarly, in horses, this sinus is fused with the frontal sinus through a wide opening and opens into the middle nasal meatus through the maxillary sinus. 1,3,8,9,11 In the Holstein cow, the dorsal conchal sinus opens into the rostral frontal sinus like in buffaloes, Egyptian sheep, and horses. Thus, it communicated indirectly with the ethmoidal meatus in the caudal part of the nasal cavity via the rostral frontal sinus (Figure 3C/h).…”

“…Computed tomography has been performed to describe the cross‐sectional anatomy of the normal paranasal sinuses and heads of carnivores, 5,6 pigs, 7 equines, 8–12 camels 13–15 llamas, 16 small ruminants, 18,19 and buffaloes 20 . In cattle, there is very limited information about the anatomical structure of the normal paranasal sinuses only in anatomy texts 1 .…”