Corsini Giulia, Gomes Barbara Jardin, Brocal Josep, Gutierrez-Quintana Rodrigo, Mallol Claudia
Anderson Moores Veterinary Specialists, Part of Linnaeus Veterinary Limited, Winchester, UK.
Veterinary Specialist Scotland, Part of Linnaeus Veterinary Limited, Livingston, UK.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2025 Sep;66(5):e70074. doi: 10.1111/vru.70074.
Bone marrow is the primary hematopoietic organ, playing a vital role in the production of blood cells. While the development of bone marrow in different canine bones has been studied, research on the skull bone marrow is lacking. This study aimed to assess the normal MRI appearance of the skull bone marrow development in dogs and establish a model for skull bone marrow conversion. A multicenter retrospective study was conducted on 40 dogs undergoing MRI for an idiopathic/unknown origin epilepsy diagnosis. Dogs were categorized into four age groups: <6 months, 6-11 months, 12-18 months, and 18 months-6 years. Signal intensity, homogeneity (with a grading system), and contrast enhancement of the calvarium, skull base, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), and maxillofacial bones were assessed. The calvarium and skull base were the earliest to reach a predominant fatty marrow at 6 months, while the TMJ and maxillofacial bones showed a later conversion, with a homogeneously fatty bone marrow present in most dogs at 12 months. A subjective rostro-caudal tendency of conversion was identified in the calvarium, skull base, and maxillofacial bones. Age was a significant factor in the conversion process, while gender showed minor influences. Contrast enhancement was present in all dogs <6 months, with the pattern of contrast enhancement being in line with the bone marrow conversion, gradually disappearing with age. This study provides reference data on the normal MRI appearance of skull bone marrow development, aiding in the differentiation of normal and pathological conditions in clinical veterinary practice.
骨髓是主要的造血器官，在血细胞生成中发挥着至关重要的作用。虽然已经对不同犬类骨骼中骨髓的发育进行了研究，但对头盖骨骨髓的研究仍很缺乏。本研究旨在评估犬类头盖骨骨髓发育的正常MRI表现，并建立头盖骨骨髓转化模型。对40只因特发性/不明原因癫痫接受MRI检查的犬进行了多中心回顾性研究。将犬分为四个年龄组：<6个月、6 - 11个月、12 - 18个月和18个月至6岁。评估了颅盖骨、颅底、颞下颌关节（TMJ）和颌面骨的信号强度、均匀性（采用分级系统）以及对比增强情况。颅盖骨和颅底在6个月时最早达到主要为脂肪骨髓的状态，而颞下颌关节和颌面骨的转化较晚, 在1岁时大多数犬的骨髓已均匀呈脂肪样。在颅盖骨、颅底和颌面骨中发现了从头部向尾部转化的主观趋势。年龄是转化过程中的一个重要因素，而性别影响较小。所有<6个月的犬均有对比增强，对比增强模式与骨髓转化一致，随年龄增长逐渐消失。本研究提供了头盖骨骨髓发育正常MRI表现的参考数据，有助于临床兽医实践中鉴别正常和病理情况。
