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Updated: May 14, 2026
Direct Cannula Implantation in the Cisterna Magna of Pigs
Published on: June 9, 2021
MR imaging of the yucatan pig head and neck vasculature
Charbel A Habib1, David Utriainen, Jean Peduzzi-Nelson
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Purpose:
To evaluate the cerebral venous drainage system of the swine as a probable model to test whether extracranial venous abnormalities may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases as reported recently in multiple sclerosis.
Materials And Methods:
Three Yucatan micropigs, 5 to 7 months old, were scanned with a comprehensive MRI protocol at 3 Tesla. The vascular anatomy of the head and neck was imaged using conventional and angiographic MR sequences. Phase-contrast MR images were collected at multiple levels of the neck and intracranial space to monitor flow.
Results:
Three large cervical veins were observed; the external jugular vein draining the olfactory and gustatory tissues; the internal jugular vein (IJV) draining the cavernous sinus as well as surrounding soft tissues in the neck; and the ventral vertebral venous plexus (VVVP) surrounding the dural sac and paraspinal region. The majority of the cerebral blood flow in the pig appears to drain through the VVVP. Flow through the IJV comprised a nondominant component. Anastamoses were observed connecting the major veins of the neck bilaterally.
Conclusion:
The dominance of outflow from the brain to the VVVP may be analogous to the typical dominance of the IJVs in humans in the supine position.
Insights
Swine possess a unique cerebral venous drainage system, with the ventral vertebral venous plexus (VVVP) being dominant, potentially serving as a valuable model for studying neurodegenerative diseases linked to venous abnormalities.
Area of Science:
- Comparative anatomy
- Neuroscience
- Medical imaging
Background:
- Extracranial venous abnormalities are increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis.
- Understanding alternative cerebral venous drainage pathways is crucial for developing new therapeutic models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the swine cerebral venous drainage system.
- To determine its suitability as an animal model for investigating the role of extracranial venous abnormalities in neurodegenerative conditions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a 3 Tesla MRI protocol on three Yucatan micropigs.
- Employed conventional and angiographic MR sequences for head and neck vascular imaging.
- Conducted phase-contrast MRI at multiple neck and intracranial levels to quantify blood flow.
Main Results:
- Identified three major cervical veins: external jugular, internal jugular vein (IJV), and ventral vertebral venous plexus (VVVP).
- Observed that the majority of cerebral blood flow in swine drains via the VVVP, with IJV flow being a minor component.
- Detected bilateral anastomoses between major cervical veins.
Conclusions:
- The swine's dominant VVVP drainage may parallel human cerebral venous drainage in a supine position.
- The swine model shows promise for studying neurodegenerative diseases associated with venous drainage alterations.
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