Calculation of Intracranial Volume in Akkaraman and Kangal Akkaraman Sheep by Stereology and Computed Tomography

Aim: Knowing the intracranial volume of sheep breeds is important for breed segregation and clinical sciences. The aim of this study is to compare the intracranial volumes and measurement methods of Akkaraman and Kangal Akkaraman sheep breeds, which constitute the majority of sheep in Turkey. Materials and Methods: In the study, the heads of 10 healthy male Akkaraman and 10 Kangal Akkaraman sheep aged 6-8 months were used. The sheep heads were imaged in the rostral-caudal direction, perpendicular to the hard palate to provide reference for the section orientation, in the axial (transversal) plane with a detector thickness of 0.6 mm. Reconstruction of the axial images was done with a slice thickness of 0.65 mm. Intracranial volumes of the sheep heads were measured using computerized tomography (CT) images with the Cavalieri principle. In addition, three-dimensional models of the intracranial area were created with the Slicer 5.3 program and the volume was calculated with the program tools. The data obtained from volume measurement were analyzed with the t-test in independent groups, and comparison between methods was analyzed with the Bland-Altman analysis in the SPSS 26.0 package program. Results: : The mean values of intracranial volume of Akkaraman sheep were found to be statistically significant and greater than Akkaraman sheep (P<0.01). As a result of statistical comparison of intracranial volumes calculated with stereological method and CT models, no difference was found between the two methods (P>0.05). Conclusion: Accurate calculation of intracranial volume is of great importance in the diagnosis and treatment of brain and nervous system diseases. The results of this study show that the determination of intracranial volume in Akkaraman and Kangal Akkaraman sheep can provide significant contributions to clinical sciences in the diagnosis of diseases. Therefore, it can also provide important guidance for veterinarians and researchers in better understanding diseases and developing effective treatment methods. Therefore, the results of the study can guide research in veterinary medicine and related disciplines and provide an important basis for clinical applications.