Comparison of serum creatinine, point-of-care symmetric dimethylarginine and renal imaging with glomerular filtration rate measured by renal scintigraphy in healthy and early chronic kidney diseased cats.

The aim of this study was to evaluate routinely used tests to diagnose cats in early stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to describe a model for evaluating these variables simultaneously. Apparently healthy cats were screened using serum creatinine (sCr), point-of-care symmetric dimethylarginine (POC SDMA), urinalysis, urine protein/creatinine ratio (UPC) and imaging evaluation. Those parameters were compared to glomerular filtration rate (GFR) assessed by renal scintigraphy. Forty-four cats were included and consisted of 14 (31.8%) healthy cats (absence of abnormalities in renal morphology and sCr less than 1.6 mg/dL), 20 (45.5%) cats classified as CKD I (presence of abnormalities in renal morphology and sCr less than 1.6 mg/dL) and ten (22.7%) as CKD II (sCr equal to or greater than 1.6 mg/dL, with or without abnormalities in renal morphology). A large number (40.9%) of apparently healthy cats presented reduction in GFR, which included half of CKD I patients. Point-of-care SDMA was not a good predictor for decreased GFR, nor was it correlated with the variables GFR and sCr. Glomerular filtration rate was significantly lower in CKD I and II groups in comparison with healthy cats, but there was no significant difference between the CKD I and II groups. Multivariate logistic regression model identified three variables that affected the odds of a cat having decreased GFR (< 2.5 mL/min/kg): sCr (OR = 18.3; p = 0.019; CI = 1.6-207.2), and the ultrasonographic findings 'reduced corticomedullary definition' (OR = 19.9; p = 0.022; CI = 1.6-254.0) and 'irregular contour' (OR = 65.6; p = 0.003; CI = 4.2-1038.2). Renal ultrasonography evaluation should always be considered for screening early CKD in apparently healthy cats.

Testicular alterations and semen quality in a selected group of breeding buffaloes.

Testicular ultrasound enables the evaluation of changes in the testicular parenchyma. This study aimed to report the occurrence of hypoechogenic testicular alterations and their relationship with semen quality in five breeding buffaloes. Two buffaloes presented with hyperechoic points characteristic of fibrosis and anechoic density content between the parietal and visceral tunica. The two bulls without ultrasonographic changes showed higher average trajectory speed, linear velocity, curvilinear velocity, amplitude of lateral displacement of the spermatic head, total motility, progressive motility, fast speed, and acrosomal membrane values within the normal range. The number of spermatozoa with major and total defects was higher in the group of animals without alterations. The three buffaloes that presented with testicular alterations produced semen within established freezing standards.

Precision technologies for predictive diagnosis and study of the allometric growth of broiler chickens with breast myopathies.

1. An experiment was carried out to validate techniques as predictive diagnostic tools for breast myopathies and to study the allometric growth of distinct parts of the body and meat quality of broilers.2. Infrared thermography was performed at 35 d of age. The surface temperatures of breasts of 300 birds were recorded, followed by ultrasound imaging.3. The birds were slaughtered and the cuts were made to weigh the body parts. Then, the breasts were evaluated as for the presence and severity of myopathies, from which nine treatments were established represented by the associated degrees of the myopathies white striping and wooden breast and breasts classified as normal.4. There was no difference in surface temperatures and echogenicity values between normal breasts and breasts affected by myopathies. At 35 d of age few fillets classified as normal were found.5. The breast showed late growth in relation to the body, regardless of characteristic lesions of myopathies. The most severe score of wooden breast affected meat quality variables.

Comparative study of the effects of Abexol and atorvastatin in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Abexol and atorvastatin in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).Material and methods: The present study had a monocentric, randomized, double-blinded, comparative design with 4 parallel groups - group 1 (Abexol), group 2 (atorvastatin), group 3 (combined therapy) and group 4 (placebo) - to which dietary recommendations and physical activity practice were provided twice a day, for 24 weeks. Significant changes in the ultrasound analysis of the liver were considered a primary efficacy variable. Insulin resistance improvement (HOMA2-IR) was considered as a co-primary efficacy criterion. Significant changes in the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lipid profile variables and the anthropometric variables were evaluated as secondary variables of effectiveness. Statistical analysis of all data was according to the intention to treat method. RESULTS: The groups were statistically homogeneous at baseline conditions. At the end of the 6 months of treatment about 50% of the patients in all groups showed a decrease of at least one degree in echogenicity, while the rest remained the same. There were no significant changes in the values of liver enzymes or anthropometric variables evaluated. Treatment with atorvastatin and combined therapy significantly reduced levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and total cholesterol. The treatments were safe and well tolerated, although in the atorvastatin group the number of adverse events reported was greater than in the rest of the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Abexol and atorvastatin showed comparable efficacy and safety in patients with NAFLD, with advantages for treatment with atorvastatin with respect to its effects on the lipid profile of these patients.

High-frequency ultrasound as a scientific tool for skin imaging analysis.

Ultrasonic imaging is one of the most important diagnostic tools in clinical medicine due to its cost, availability and good correlation with pathological results. High-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) is a technique used in skin science that has been little explored, especially in comparison with other sites and imaging techniques. HFUS shows real-time images of the skin layers, appendages and skin lesions in vivo and can significantly contribute to advances in skin science. This review summarizes the potential applications of HFUS in dermatology and cosmetology, with a focus on quantitative tools that can be used to assess various skin conditions. Our findings showed that HFUS imaging is a reproducible and powerful tool for the diagnosis, clinical management and therapy monitoring of skin conditions. It is also a helpful tool for assessing the performance of dermatological products. This technique may eventually become essential for evaluating the performance of dermatological and cosmetic products.

Characterization of skin aging through high-frequency ultrasound imaging as a technique for evaluating the effectiveness of anti-aging products and procedures: A review.

INTRODUCTION: High-frequency ultrasound skin imaging analysis (HFUS) is a non-invasive technique that allows a unique approach to the analysis of skin aging, as well as in evaluating the effectiveness of dermatological and cosmetic products, especially for skin rejuvenation. OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of skin aging and different anti-aging strategies from the perspective of high-frequency ultrasound. METHODS: A bibliographic survey was carried out, selecting relevant articles that evaluated the characterization of the skin features from different points of view such as gender (male and female), age (young skin and mature skin), and ethnicity, in addition to individual variations between body regions and daily variations. RESULTS: Some studies also evaluated the impact of cosmetic treatments and esthetic procedures in the skin. Parameters such as dermal thickness, echogenicity, skin texture, and subepidermal low-echogenic band (SLEB) were analyzed. It can be concluded that there is a trend, although not unanimous in the consequences of aging on the skin, being different between men and women, plus the individual nuances resulted from each one's lifestyle and exposure to the sun. CONCLUSION: As for the technique, it is concluded that high-frequency ultrasound is an important evaluative alternative for dermatological studies and the effectiveness of anti-aging products and treatments.

Muscle Echogenicity and Changes Related to Age and Body Mass Index.

INTRODUCTION: Muscle fibers are lost and replaced by fat- and fibrous-tissue infiltration during aging. This process decreases muscle quality and influences tissue appearance on ultrasound images over time. Increased muscle "echogenicity" represents changes caused by fat- and fibrous-tissue infiltration and can be quantified with recently developed software. OBJECTIVE: To investigate skeletal muscle quality through echogenicity, estimates according to participant's body mass index (BMI) and age were taken. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study performed at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana with 117 participants (57 men and 60 women), with mean age (±SD) 38.9 ± 17.0 years and BMI 28.6 ± 6.2 kg/m². All participants were examined by ultrasound (LOGIQ GE Healthcare), using a 5.0-MHz linear transducer. Participants had muscle thickness measured by ultrasound at 4 anatomic locations (biceps and triceps brachial, femoral quadriceps, and calf triceps). Echogenicity was analyzed with specific software (Pixel Health) that evaluated the image in gray scale. RESULTS: According to BMI, 41% of participants were obese. There was a positive correlation between age and thigh-muscle echogenicity (rp = 0.534, P < .0001) and a negative correlation between thigh-muscle echogenicity and thickness (rp = -0.395, P <.0001). There was high muscle echogenicity in participants with overweight and obesity aged 50 years or older (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Older age and higher BMI were associated with stronger echogenicity signals and smaller muscle thickness. People with overweight, obesity, and/or older than 50 years old have reduced muscle quality with smaller muscle thickness, as observed with ultrasound.

Salmon oil supplementation in dogs affects the blood flow of testicular arteries.

The administration of fish oils is known to cause changes in several reproductive parameters of domestic animals. The ingestion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) of the omega-3 family, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), has been described and correlated with changes in the semen quality, testosterone levels and male fertility. Nevertheless, few studies monitored and registered effects after ceasing supplementation. In the present study, we monitored the Doppler velocimetric and ultrasonographic parameters of nine dogs' testis for 90 days (D90) checking the effect of salmon oil supplementation, and monitoring continued for 60 days more, after ceasing supplementation (D150). Ultrasonographic evaluations comprised determining the Doppler velocimetric parameters, testicular and epididymal volume, and testicular echotexture. Peak systolic velocity (PSV) as well as final diastolic velocity (EDV) in the supratesticular arteries (STA), and marginal artery (MA) increased during the period of treatment and kept that level up to D150. There was no difference between the fish-oil supplementation period and the unsupplemented one regarding the testicular and epididymal volume and echogenicity and heterogeneity characteristics. A negative correlation was found between heterogeneity of testis and sperm production (r = -.41, p = .008). Doppler velocimetry indices were affected by the supplementation, leading to an increase in testicular blood flow.

An in vivo evaluation of the effects of feed restriction regimens on wooden breast using ultrasound images as a predictive tool.

1. Gradual feed restriction was applied to broilers in order to reduce growth rate and, as a consequence, gradually impacts wooden breast myopathy occurrence. Ultrasound (US) images of breast muscle in live birds were correlated with breast fillets presenting wooden breast characteristics (WB). 2. A total of 1800 Cobb × Cobb 500 slow-feathering male chicks were fed one of the six feed restriction treatments with 12 replicates of 25 birds each, in a completely randomised design. Birds were fed ad libitum or were pair-fed to 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or 90% of normal ad libitum intakes from 8 to 49 d to provide a gradual reduction in growth rate. Ultrasound images were obtained weekly from all birds and, in parallel, one bird per pen was weekly slaughtered and the major breast muscle was weighed and WB graded as 0 (normal), 1 (mild hardening in the upper), 2 (moderate hardening in the upper and/or lower), 3 (severe hardening) and 4 (severe hardening with haemorrhagic lesions and yellow fluid). Blood was taken for analysis of enzymes related to muscle cell breakdown. 3. Feed restriction applied at 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 90% of the ad libitum feed intake (FI) resulted in decreased body weight gain (BWG; P ≤ 0.05). 4. From 21 to 49 d, the increasing feed restriction led to linear increases (P ≤ 0.05) in WB scores, fibre density as well as breast depth and breast echogenicity. Creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase concentration decreased linearly when broilers were feed restricted (P ≤ 0.05). 5. Wooden breast was positively correlated with echogenicity at 21 d (r = 0.510), 28 (r = 0.531), 35 (r = 0.470), 42 (r = 0.430) and 49 d (r = 0.548) (P ≤ 0.001). The use of breast echogenicity can be an additional tool to early detect alterations related to wooden breast.

Sonographically determined kidney measurements are better able to predict histological changes and a low CKD-EPI eGFR when weighted towards cortical echogenicity.

BACKGROUND: The renal length and cortical echogenicity have shown correlation to the renal function and histological changes in CKD patients. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of crude and composite ultrasound parameters based on kidney measurements and cortical echogenicity to detect renal dysfunction and histological changes. METHODS: Kidney sonography and biopsy were performed in 112 patients. Histological changes were graded in 0, < 25%, ≥25%, ≤50 and > 50% of the sample. Cortical echogenicity was graded relative to liver or spleen parenchyma: less than, equal to and higher than the liver/spleen. Kidney length, the kidney length/body height ratio (KL/H) and cortical thickness were obtained. Each parameter was multiplied by a cortical echogenicity-weighting arbitrary factor: 1.17, 1 or 0.69 for cortex less than, equal to or higher than the liver, respectively. The GFR was estimated using the CKD-EPI formula. The accuracy of crude and composite parameters to identify patients with a high creatinine, a low GFR and histological changes were evaluated. RESULTS: The discriminative power of kidney length and cortical thickness for renal dysfunction and histological changes was improved after weighting for cortical echogenicity. However, the best discriminative was the kidney length to height ratio weighted towards renal echogenicity (w-KL/H). CONCLUSION: w-KL/H exceeded the other parameters as a marker of renal impairment and histological changes in CKD. Calculation of the w-KL/H index may be of help as a non-invasive tool to identify patients with significant renal disease and might be useful to guide therapeutic decisions.

Grayscale histogram analysis to study the echogenicity and echotexture of the walls of the common carotid arteries of horses and mules / Análise por histograma em escala de cinza para estudo da ecogenicidade e ecotextura das paredes das artérias carótidas comuns de equinos e muares

Visual inspection of ultrasound examination for assessment of echogenicity and echotexture of blood vessel tissues is a technique routinely used in medical practice in humans. However, simple visual inspection can lead to poor quality diagnoses and errors. The use of grayscale histogram (GSH) analysis has proved to be an efficient technique to quantify the region of interest, allowing minimization of image interpretation errors. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the echogenicity and echotexture of the walls of the common carotid arteries of healthy female horses and mules using the GSH technique and correlate them with age, body mass, and vessel diameters. B-mode ultrasound examinations were performed in the left and right common carotid arteries in three regions (cranial, middle, and caudal) in 11 horses and 11 healthy mules. The GSH of the animals showed heterogeneous walls, but did not differentiate statistically between female horses and mules. The Mean variable of the middle right, middle left and caudal right sides showed differences, more significant in the mules. On the middle right side, the Min variable was different, higher in the mules. On the middle and caudal left side, the variables Max and Mode showed higher values in the mules. For the mules, the age factor presented negative correlation with the Mean, Mode,, Mode(Count), and Mode(Count)/Count(%) variables, and the body mass factor presented negative correlation with the Mode, Mean and Max variables. For the female horses, the body mass factor showed positive correlation with the Mean and Mode variables. Echogenicity of the carotid artery walls differed between female horses and mules, whereas echotexture was heterogeneous and statistically similar among the animals. The age and body mass factors inversely influenced the echogenicity of the mules, but were not significant in the female horses, in which only the body mass factor positively influenced echogenicity.(AU)

A técnica de avaliação da ecogenicidade e ecotextura dos tecidos dos vasos sanguíneos por inspeção visual do exame de ultrassonografia, já é uma prática da rotina médica em humanos. No entanto, a simples visualização manual pode induzir à erros e diagnósticos de pouca qualidade. O uso de análise por histograma em escala de cinza (HEC) tem se demostrado uma eficiente técnica para quantificar a região avaliada, permitindo minimizar erros de interpretação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar e comparar a ecogenicidade e ecotextura das paredes das artérias carótidas comuns das fêmeas equina e muares hígidos usando a técnica de HEC, e correlacioná-las com a idade, massa corpórea e diâmetros dos vasos. Exames de ultrassonografia modo-B foram realizados nas artérias carótidas comuns esquerda e direita em três regiões (cranial, médio e caudal) em 11 fêmeas equina e 11 muares hígidos. O HEC dos animais apresentou paredes heterogêneas, mas não diferenciaram estatisticamente entre fêmeas equinas e muares. A variável Mean do lado direito médio, esquerdo médio e caudal apresentou diferenças, sendo maiores nos muares. No lado direito médio, o Min foi diferente, sendo superior nos muares. Já para o lado esquerdo médio e caudal, as variáveis Max e Mode apresentaram valores maiores nos muares. Para os muares, o fator idade apresentou correlação negativa com Mean, Mode, Mode (Count) e Mode(Count)/Count (%) e o fator massa corpórea apresentou correlação negativa com Mode, Mean e Max. Para as fêmeas equinas o fator massa corpórea apresentou correlação positiva com Mean e Mode. A ecogenicidade das paredes das artérias carótidas diferiram entre fêmeas equina e muares, já a ecotextura foi heterogênea e semelhante estatisticamente entre os animais. A idade e a massa corpórea influenciaram inversamente na ecogenicidade dos muares, enquanto que nas fêmeas equina a idade não foi significativa, apenas a massa corpórea influenciou positivamente com a ecogenicidade.(AU)

Grayscale histogram analysis to study the echogenicity and echotexture of the walls of the common carotid arteries of horses and mules / Análise por histograma em escala de cinza para estudo da ecogenicidade e ecotextura das paredes das artérias carótidas comuns de equinos e muares

Visual inspection of ultrasound examination for assessment of echogenicity and echotexture of blood vessel tissues is a technique routinely used in medical practice in humans. However, simple visual inspection can lead to poor quality diagnoses and errors. The use of grayscale histogram (GSH) analysis has proved to be an efficient technique to quantify the region of interest, allowing minimization of image interpretation errors. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the echogenicity and echotexture of the walls of the common carotid arteries of healthy female horses and mules using the GSH technique and correlate them with age, body mass, and vessel diameters. B-mode ultrasound examinations were performed in the left and right common carotid arteries in three regions (cranial, middle, and caudal) in 11 horses and 11 healthy mules. The GSH of the animals showed heterogeneous walls, but did not differentiate statistically between female horses and mules. The Mean variable of the middle right, middle left and caudal right sides showed differences, more significant in the mules. On the middle right side, the Min variable was different, higher in the mules. On the middle and caudal left side, the variables Max and Mode showed higher values in the mules. For the mules, the age factor presented negative correlation with the Mean, Mode,, Mode(Count), and Mode(Count)/Count(%) variables, and the body mass factor presented negative correlation with the Mode, Mean and Max variables. For the female horses, the body mass factor showed positive correlation with the Mean and Mode variables. Echogenicity of the carotid artery walls differed between female horses and mules, whereas echotexture was heterogeneous and statistically similar among the animals. The age and body mass factors inversely influenced the echogenicity of the mules, but were not significant in the female horses, in which only the body mass factor positively influenced echogenicity.(AU)

A técnica de avaliação da ecogenicidade e ecotextura dos tecidos dos vasos sanguíneos por inspeção visual do exame de ultrassonografia, já é uma prática da rotina médica em humanos. No entanto, a simples visualização manual pode induzir à erros e diagnósticos de pouca qualidade. O uso de análise por histograma em escala de cinza (HEC) tem se demostrado uma eficiente técnica para quantificar a região avaliada, permitindo minimizar erros de interpretação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar e comparar a ecogenicidade e ecotextura das paredes das artérias carótidas comuns das fêmeas equina e muares hígidos usando a técnica de HEC, e correlacioná-las com a idade, massa corpórea e diâmetros dos vasos. Exames de ultrassonografia modo-B foram realizados nas artérias carótidas comuns esquerda e direita em três regiões (cranial, médio e caudal) em 11 fêmeas equina e 11 muares hígidos. O HEC dos animais apresentou paredes heterogêneas, mas não diferenciaram estatisticamente entre fêmeas equinas e muares. A variável Mean do lado direito médio, esquerdo médio e caudal apresentou diferenças, sendo maiores nos muares. No lado direito médio, o Min foi diferente, sendo superior nos muares. Já para o lado esquerdo médio e caudal, as variáveis Max e Mode apresentaram valores maiores nos muares. Para os muares, o fator idade apresentou correlação negativa com Mean, Mode, Mode (Count) e Mode(Count)/Count (%) e o fator massa corpórea apresentou correlação negativa com Mode, Mean e Max. Para as fêmeas equinas o fator massa corpórea apresentou correlação positiva com Mean e Mode. A ecogenicidade das paredes das artérias carótidas diferiram entre fêmeas equina e muares, já a ecotextura foi heterogênea e semelhante estatisticamente entre os animais. A idade e a massa corpórea influenciaram inversamente na ecogenicidade dos muares, enquanto que nas fêmeas equina a idade não foi significativa, apenas a massa corpórea influenciou positivamente com a ecogenicidade.(AU)

B-mode and Doppler ultrasound of chronic kidney disease in dogs and cats.

Ultrasound is the imaging test of choice for renal evaluation, because it provides information about the position, size, shape, internal architecture and hemodynamics of the kidneys without harming the patient. In chronic kidney disease, the main findings observed in B-mode ultrasound images are increased cortical echogenicity, loss of corticomedullary differentiation, reduced renal volume and irregular renal contour, and when these changes are associated, they are indicative of end-stage renal disease. However, the cause of kidney disease cannot be determined by ultrasonography, but must be confirmed by means of biopsy, although the presence of ultrasonographic changes indicative of the end-stage of the disease may contraindicate this procedure. The Doppler ultrasound test complements the ultrasonic B-mode examination and enables the assessment of renal perfusion based on a calculation of the hemodynamic indices, which are increased in cases of chronic kidney lesions, with higher values ​​in the most severe cases. Thus, ultrasound examinations are not only useful in diagnostics but also play an important role in defining the prognosis of patients with chronic kidney disease.

Sonographic characterization of Hoffa's fat pad. A pilot study.

This study addresses a topic that was previously unaddressed in the literature: the normal sonographic appearance of the Hoffa's fat pad (HFP) in young, asymptomatic subjects. The aim of the study is to describe the sonoanatomical features of HFP, including its echostructure, echogenicity, elasticity, and vascularization, in subjects without knee pathology. Knees of healthy subjects were examined with grayscale ultrasound (US) to determine the sonographic characteristics of the HFP. Echogenicity was assessed by pixel intensity quantification. Vascularity was evaluated by color Doppler (CD) US. Elasticity of the adipose tissue was examined by sonoelastography. The absence of HFP pathology was confirmed clinically in all participants and by magnetic resonance imaging in randomly selected participants. Seventy-two knees from 36 subjects were assessed. The HFP presented a characteristic well-defined two-layered echostructure: the superficial adipose tissue was hypoechoic with respect to the nearby patellar tendon and contained septae, whereas the deeper layer was homogeneously hypoechoic and lacked connective tissue septae. Echogenicity differed between the superficial and deeper layers (the deeper layer was brighter), suggesting that the degree of acoustic impedance differed between layers. CD detected blood flow in 55.5% of HFPs. The superficial HFP layer presented greater elasticity than the deeper HFP layer (88.8 vs. 75.3 Kpa; p < .001). Our study provides a comprehensive description of the normal sonographic features of the HFP, which is useful to increase the potential of US for the discrimination of pathological findings involving this anatomical area.

Características e medidas ultrassonográficas do baço de cães e gatos filhotes hígidos / Ultrasonographic characteristics and measurements of spleen of healthy puppies and kittens

The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the characteristics and ultrasound measurements of the spleen of healthy puppies and kittens, establishing normal standards and landmarks. We used 15 healthy male dogs and 15 healthy male cats, mixed breed and average age of six months. They were divided into two groups: G1 with 15 puppies with an average weight of 3 kg and G2 with  15 kittens with an average weight of 2 kg. The animals underwent ultrasound examination of the spleen for visualization of internal characteristics and measurement of the organ. The structural characteristics was analyzed and compared between the two species through the images obtained in the exam. The measurements were compared statistically using the SPSS program, with analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test (P 0.05). In both groups, we observed the splenic artery showed smaller diameter than the splenic veins. In puppies and kittens, the echotexture was visualized homogeneous and finely granular. The puppys spleen tends to be bigger in length   (6.87 ± 0.03 cm) and width (5.95 ± 0.07 cm) in relation to spleen length (4,53 ± 0,02 cm)) and width  (4.55 ± 0.04) in kittens. We concluded there is no difference of echotexture and splenic echogenicity between puppies and kittens, and the spleen of puppies showed bigger dimensions than in kittens.

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar e comparar as características e as mensurações ultrassonográficas do baço entre cães e gatos filhotes hígidos, estabelecendo padrões de normalidade e valores de referência. Foram utilizados 15 cães e 15 gatos machos hígidos, raça mista e idade média de seis meses. Os mesmos foram divididos em dois grupos, sendo grupo G1 com 15 cães filhotes com  peso médio de 3 kg e grupo G2 com 15 gatos filhotes com peso médio de 2 kg. Os animais foram submetidos ao exame ultrassonográfico do baço para visibilização das características internas e mensuração do órgão. As características estruturais ultrassonográficas do baço foram analisadas e comparadas entre as duas espécies de forma descritiva por meio de imagens obtidas no exame. As mensurações foram comparadas estatisticamente usando-se o programa SPSS®, com análise de variância (ANOVA), seguido do Teste de Tukey (P 0,05). Em ambos os grupos, foi observado  que as artérias esplênicas apresentaram menor diâmetro luminar em relação às veias esplênicas.   Nos cães e gatos filhotes, a ecotextura foi visibilizada homogênea e finamente granular. O baço dos cães filhotes tende a ser maior em comprimento (6,87 ± 0,03 cm) e largura (5,95 ± 0,07 cm) em relação ao comprimento (4,53 ± 0,02 cm) e largura (4,55 ± 0,04) nos gatos filhotes. Concluiu-se que não existe diferença de ecotextura e ecogenicidade esplênica entre o cão filhote e gato filhote e o baço dos cães filhotes apresentrou dimensões maiores, em comprimento e largura, em relação aos gatos filhotes.

Características e medidas ultrassonográficas do baço de cães e gatos filhotes hígidos / Ultrasonographic characteristics and measurements of spleen of healthy puppies and kittens

The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the characteristics and ultrasound measurements of the spleen of healthy puppies and kittens, establishing normal standards and landmarks. We used 15 healthy male dogs and 15 healthy male cats, mixed breed and average age of six months. They were divided into two groups: G1 with 15 puppies with an average weight of 3 kg and G2 with  15 kittens with an average weight of 2 kg. The animals underwent ultrasound examination of the spleen for visualization of internal characteristics and measurement of the organ. The structural characteristics was analyzed and compared between the two species through the images obtained in the exam. The measurements were compared statistically using the SPSS program, with analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test (P 0.05). In both groups, we observed the splenic artery showed smaller diameter than the splenic veins. In puppies and kittens, the echotexture was visualized homogeneous and finely granular. The puppys spleen tends to be bigger in length   (6.87 ± 0.03 cm) and width (5.95 ± 0.07 cm) in relation to spleen length (4,53 ± 0,02 cm)) and width  (4.55 ± 0.04) in kittens. We concluded there is no difference of echotexture and splenic echogenicity between puppies and kittens, and the spleen of puppies showed bigger dimensions than in kittens. (AU)

O objetivo do estudo foi analisar e comparar as características e as mensurações ultrassonográficas do baço entre cães e gatos filhotes hígidos, estabelecendo padrões de normalidade e valores de referência. Foram utilizados 15 cães e 15 gatos machos hígidos, raça mista e idade média de seis meses. Os mesmos foram divididos em dois grupos, sendo grupo G1 com 15 cães filhotes com  peso médio de 3 kg e grupo G2 com 15 gatos filhotes com peso médio de 2 kg. Os animais foram submetidos ao exame ultrassonográfico do baço para visibilização das características internas e mensuração do órgão. As características estruturais ultrassonográficas do baço foram analisadas e comparadas entre as duas espécies de forma descritiva por meio de imagens obtidas no exame. As mensurações foram comparadas estatisticamente usando-se o programa SPSS®, com análise de variância (ANOVA), seguido do Teste de Tukey (P 0,05). Em ambos os grupos, foi observado  que as artérias esplênicas apresentaram menor diâmetro luminar em relação às veias esplênicas.   Nos cães e gatos filhotes, a ecotextura foi visibilizada homogênea e finamente granular. O baço dos cães filhotes tende a ser maior em comprimento (6,87 ± 0,03 cm) e largura (5,95 ± 0,07 cm) em relação ao comprimento (4,53 ± 0,02 cm) e largura (4,55 ± 0,04) nos gatos filhotes. Concluiu-se que não existe diferença de ecotextura e ecogenicidade esplênica entre o cão filhote e gato filhote e o baço dos cães filhotes apresentrou dimensões maiores, em comprimento e largura, em relação aos gatos filhotes. (AU)

CARACTERÍSTICAS E MEDIDAS ULTRASSONOGRÁFICAS DO BAÇO DE CÃES E GATOS FILHOTES HÍGIDOS

Abstract The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the characteristics and ultrasound measurements of the spleen of healthy puppies and kittens, establishing normal standards and landmarks. We used 15 healthy male dogs and 15 healthy male cats, mixed breed and average age of six months. They were divided into two groups: G1 with 15 puppies with an average weight of 3 kg and G2 with 15 kittens with an average weight of 2 kg. The animals underwent ultrasound examination of the spleen for visualization of internal characteristics and measurement of the organ. The structural characteristics was analyzed and compared between the two species through the images obtained in the exam. The measurements were compared statistically using the SPSS program, with analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test (P 0.05). In both groups, we observed the splenic artery showed smaller diameter than the splenic veins. In puppies and kittens, the echotexture was visualized homogeneous and finely granular. The puppy's spleen tends to be bigger in length (6.87 ± 0.03 cm) and width (5.95 ± 0.07 cm) in relation to spleen length (4,53 ± 0,02 cm)) and width (4.55 ± 0.04) in kittens. We concluded there is no difference of echotexture and splenic echogenicity between puppies and kittens, and the spleen of puppies showed bigger dimensions than in kittens.

Resumo O objetivo do estudo foi analisar e comparar as características e as mensurações ultrassonográficas do baço entre cães e gatos filhotes hígidos, estabelecendo padrões de normalidade e valores de referência. Foram utilizados 15 cães e 15 gatos machos hígidos, raça mista e idade média de seis meses. Os mesmos foram divididos em dois grupos, sendo grupo G1 com 15 cães filhotes com peso médio de 3 kg e grupo G2 com 15 gatos filhotes com peso médio de 2 kg. Os animais foram submetidos ao exame ultrassonográfico do baço para visibilização das características internas e mensuração do órgão. As características estruturais ultrassonográficas do baço foram analisadas e comparadas entre as duas espécies de forma descritiva por meio de imagens obtidas no exame. As mensurações foram comparadas estatisticamente usando-se o programa SPSS®, com análise de variância (ANOVA), seguido do Teste de Tukey (P 0,05). Em ambos os grupos, foi observado que as artérias esplênicas apresentaram menor diâmetro luminar em relação às veias esplênicas. Nos cães e gatos filhotes, a ecotextura foi visibilizada homogênea e finamente granular. O baço dos cães filhotes tende a ser maior em comprimento (6,87 ± 0,03 cm) e largura (5,95 ± 0,07 cm) em relação ao comprimento (4,53 ± 0,02 cm) e largura (4,55 ± 0,04) nos gatos filhotes. Concluiu-se que não existe diferença de ecotextura e ecogenicidade esplênica entre o cão filhote e gato filhote e o baço dos cães filhotes apresentrou dimensões maiores, em comprimento e largura, em relação aos gatos filhotes.

Análise quantitativa da ecogenicidade testicular pela técnica do histograma de ovinos da baixada ocidental maranhense / Quantitative analysis of testicular echogenicity by technical histogram in sheep of the western lowland region of Maranhão, Brazil

A ultrassonografia é um método de diagnóstico por imagem que permite a avaliação de diferentes órgãos e estruturas corpóreas de maneira não invasiva. No entanto, a avaliação subjetiva das imagens caracteriza um dos grandes entraves na utilização desta técnica de diagnóstico, havendo necessidade de mecanismos que minimizem a subjetividade do exame e a divergência na interpretação dos achados ultrassonográficos. Desta forma este trabalho objetivou caracterizar a ecogenicidade do parênquima e mediastino testicular de ovinos utilizando a técnica do histograma escala-cinza. Foram utilizados 30 animais divididos em três grupos de acordo com a faixa etária (FE): de três a seis meses (FE1), sete a 12 meses (FE2), 13 a 18 meses (FE3) e realizadas varreduras testiculares nos planos frontal, sagital e transversal, elaborando ao final um histograma a partir das imagens ultrassonográficas. Observou-se que tanto a ecogenicidade do parênquima quanto a do mediastino testicular aumentaram gradativamente com a progressão das idades dos animais, com média e desvio-padrão de 95,00±19,05 e 94,35±18,82 para a ecogenicidade do parênquima do antímero direito e esquerdo, respectivamente, e 127,95±12,97 para o mediastino direito e 126,59±11,78 para o esquerdo. A técnica do histograma escala-cinza demonstrou ser um método eficiente na determinação da ecogenicidade testicular, possibilitando o estabelecimento de padrões de normalidade que venham a auxiliar pesquisas futuras no monitoramento do desenvolvimento testicular bem como na detecção de patologias. Para a regimes exclusivos de criação extensiva, como na baixada maranhense, representa ferramenta valiosa para sua utilização em projetos sociais do Estado que atendem a agricultura familiar.(AU)

Ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging method that allows a no invasive evaluation of different organs and body structures. However, the personal evaluation of images is one of the major hampers in using this technique. In order to reduce this drawback, it is necessary to find out tools that can help diminish the divergence in the interpretation of sonographic findings. Therefore, this study aimed to identify features of the parenchyma's and mediastinum's testis of sheep echogenicity using the technique of gray scale histogram. 30 animals were divided into three groups according to age (FE): three to six months (FE1), seven to 12 months (FE2), 13 to 18 months (FE3). The testicular scans were performed in the frontal, sagital and transverse views, and the gray scale histograms were analyzed. It was observed that such parenchymal as the mediastinum testis echogenicity gradually increased with the aging of the animals, with mean and standard deviation of 95.00±19.05 and 94.35±18.82 for the echogenicity parenchyma of the right and left antimere, respectively, and 127.95±12.97 to 126.59±11.78, for the right and the left mediastinum. The technique of gray scale histogram was an efficient method for determination of testicular echogenicity, enabling the establishment of normal standards that may assist future research in monitoring testicular development as well as for detecting pathologies. For exclusive regimes of extensive farming, as the western lowland region of Maranhão, is a valuable tool for use in social projects of the State to attend the family farm.(AU)

Análise quantitativa da ecogenicidade testicular pela técnica do histograma de ovinos da baixada ocidental maranhense / Quantitative analysis of testicular echogenicity by technical histogram in sheep of the western lowland region of Maranhão, Brazil

A ultrassonografia é um método de diagnóstico por imagem que permite a avaliação de diferentes órgãos e estruturas corpóreas de maneira não invasiva. No entanto, a avaliação subjetiva das imagens caracteriza um dos grandes entraves na utilização desta técnica de diagnóstico, havendo necessidade de mecanismos que minimizem a subjetividade do exame e a divergência na interpretação dos achados ultrassonográficos. Desta forma este trabalho objetivou caracterizar a ecogenicidade do parênquima e mediastino testicular de ovinos utilizando a técnica do histograma escala-cinza. Foram utilizados 30 animais divididos em três grupos de acordo com a faixa etária (FE): de três a seis meses (FE1), sete a 12 meses (FE2), 13 a 18 meses (FE3) e realizadas varreduras testiculares nos planos frontal, sagital e transversal, elaborando ao final um histograma a partir das imagens ultrassonográficas. Observou-se que tanto a ecogenicidade do parênquima quanto a do mediastino testicular aumentaram gradativamente com a progressão das idades dos animais, com média e desvio-padrão de 95,00±19,05 e 94,35±18,82 para a ecogenicidade do parênquima do antímero direito e esquerdo, respectivamente, e 127,95±12,97 para o mediastino direito e 126,59±11,78 para o esquerdo. A técnica do histograma escala-cinza demonstrou ser um método eficiente na determinação da ecogenicidade testicular, possibilitando o estabelecimento de padrões de normalidade que venham a auxiliar pesquisas futuras no monitoramento do desenvolvimento testicular bem como na detecção de patologias. Para a regimes exclusivos de criação extensiva, como na baixada maranhense, representa ferramenta valiosa para sua utilização em projetos sociais do Estado que atendem a agricultura familiar.

Ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging method that allows a no invasive evaluation of different organs and body structures. However, the personal evaluation of images is one of the major hampers in using this technique. In order to reduce this drawback, it is necessary to find out tools that can help diminish the divergence in the interpretation of sonographic findings. Therefore, this study aimed to identify features of the parenchyma's and mediastinum's testis of sheep echogenicity using the technique of gray scale histogram. 30 animals were divided into three groups according to age (FE): three to six months (FE1), seven to 12 months (FE2), 13 to 18 months (FE3). The testicular scans were performed in the frontal, sagital and transverse views, and the gray scale histograms were analyzed. It was observed that such parenchymal as the mediastinum testis echogenicity gradually increased with the aging of the animals, with mean and standard deviation of 95.00±19.05 and 94.35±18.82 for the echogenicity parenchyma of the right and left antimere, respectively, and 127.95±12.97 to 126.59±11.78, for the right and the left mediastinum. The technique of gray scale histogram was an efficient method for determination of testicular echogenicity, enabling the establishment of normal standards that may assist future research in monitoring testicular development as well as for detecting pathologies. For exclusive regimes of extensive farming, as the western lowland region of Maranhão, is a valuable tool for use in social projects of the State to attend the family farm.