The pig model in brain imaging and neurosurgery

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Comparative Anatomy
• Surgical Navigation

Background:

• The pig brain shares significant anatomical and functional similarities with the human brain, making it a valuable model organism.
• Existing research highlights the utility of the pig model in neuroscience, particularly for functional imaging and surgical planning.
• A comprehensive 3D atlas and detailed mapping of pig cortical areas, analogous to Brodmann's areas, are still needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the anatomical and functional characteristics of the pig brain in comparison to the human brain.
• To provide an overview of functional imaging and neuronavigation techniques employed in the pig model.
• To illustrate the application and methodological considerations of using the pig model in neuroscience research.

Main Methods:

• Comparative anatomical analysis of pig and human brains.
• Review of existing literature on functional imaging (e.g., PET) and neuronavigation in the pig model.
• Presentation of case studies detailing experimental methodologies specific to the porcine model.

Main Results:

• Proposed an approximate mapping of pig cortical areas, addressing a gap in current knowledge.
• Demonstrated the efficacy of advanced neuronavigation techniques for precise deep brain targeting in pigs, achieving millimeter accuracy.
• Highlighted the compatibility of the pig brain's size with human-centric positron emission tomography (PET) scanners for molecular imaging.

Conclusions:

• The pig model offers unique advantages for neuroscience research due to its brain's resemblance to humans.
• Methodological advancements in imaging and navigation are crucial for precise surgical interventions in the pig brain.
• Further development of a digitized, multimodality brain atlas is essential for optimizing the use of the pig model in future studies.