Image Rendering Techniques in Postmortem Computed Tomography: Evaluation of Biological Health and Profile in Stranded Cetaceans

Characterisation of Crassicauda fuelleborni nematode infection in Indo-Pacific finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) using postmortem computed tomography

“…PMCT scans were reconstructed and interpreted in the TeraRecon Aquarius iNtuition workstation ver.4.4.12 (TeraRecon Inc., San Mateo, CA, USA) with a consistent window setting across all CT scans (WW: 2200 and WL: 200). The PMCT scan of each NP carcass was assessed for abnormalities that indicate Crassicauda -related lesions with reference to preliminary studies ( Kot et al, 2020a , 2021 ). For lesions found with PMCT, the location and PMCT characteristics (shape, outline, CT attenuation, and homogeneity) were qualitatively recorded, while the sizes of the lesions were measured in three dimensions using the in-built linear measurement function of the TeraRecon workstation.…”

“…With the advantage of non-invasiveness, virtopsy, the postmortem use of imaging modalities including computed tomography (PMCT) and magnetic resonance imaging ( Thali et al, 2003a ), has been increasingly applied in the postmortem examination of cetaceans in recent years (e.g., Danil et al, 2014 ; Hamel et al, 2020 ; Kot et al, 2018 , 2019 , 2020a , 2020b , 2021 ; Tsui et al, 2020 ; Yuen et al, 2017 ; Zucca et al, 2004 ). One of the applications of virtopsy, particularly PMCT, is to detect pathological lesions, including parasitic infections, especially in cumbersome regions that are difficult and not routinely examined thoroughly during conventional necropsy (e.g., cranial sinuses or muscles across the entire body), and therefore allowing precise examination and targeted sampling ( Tsui et al, 2020 ).…”

“… Zucca et al (2004) applied PMCT to assess the cranial sinuses of a Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus and found calcification and inflammation related to crassicaudid infection, which was later confirmed at necropsy. PMCT has preliminarily been used to detect and characterise different parasites in stranded cetaceans in HK waters, including Crassicauda -related lesions in the mammary glands and abdominal muscles ( Kot et al, 2016 , 2020a , 2021 ), which assisted in locating the lesions during postmortem examination for pathological assessment and parasitology studies.…”

Virtopsy as a Revolutionary Tool for Cetacean Stranding Programs: Implementation and Management

“…PMMRI was performed with a GE SIGNA Explorer 1.5 Tesla MR scanner (General Electric Company, Wisconsin, United States) or a 0.25 Tesla Esaote Vet MR Grande scanner (Esaote Biomedica, Genoa, Italy). Details of scanning parameters may refer to previous publications (Kot et al, 2016(Kot et al, , 2018a(Kot et al, , 2019(Kot et al, , 2020aYuen et al, 2017). Datasets were saved in DICOM 3.0 format.…”

“…Discussions regarding the modification of stranding response protocol to accommodate virtopsy, including concerns over manpower, logistics, equipment, and safety, were followed by the standardisation of virtopsy protocols. Standardised virtopsy protocols and techniques for PM pathological diagnosis were adhered to Yuen et al, 2017;Kot et al, 2018aKot et al, , 2019Kot et al, , 2020a. Pitfalls encountered were addressed with corrective measures to ensure the structural and practical management of the first Cetacean Virtopsy Stranding Response Programme (CVSRP) in the world.…”