Ultrasound morphology of cecal appendix in pet rabbits.

PURPOSE: Cecal appendix is the terminal part of cecum and is characteristic of rabbit, among domestic animals. The purpose of this work is to evaluate its morphology upon ultrasound. METHODS: A prospective study was planned for the duration of approximately 1 year. Rabbits presented in the study period for abdominal ultrasound with no clinically evident alterations of the gastrointestinal tract were eligible for inclusion in the study. Abdominal ultrasound was performed under manual restrain with a high frequency linear probe (8-18 MHz). RESULTS: Cecal appendix was visualized in 40/42 rabbits (95.2%) with median or left paramedian views. The wall appeared multilayered in accordance with normal bowel anatomy, and the luminal content showed in all cases an alimentary pattern. Measurement of appendix wall thickness (AWT) was possible in all 40 rabbits in which the appendix was visualized while measurement of the appendix diameter (AD) was possible in 39 rabbits. Reference intervals for AWT were 1.1-2.1 mm, and for AD were 3.9-8.8 mm. There was a negative correlation between age and AWT (r = - 0.35, P = 0.027) and a moderate positive correlation between AWT and AD (r = 0.71, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Cecal appendix is recognizable via ultrasound in the vast majority of rabbits. We describe the normal morphological aspect of the appendix and we provide reference intervals for wall thickness and diameter of the appendix, in order to aid in the diagnosis of disorders of the appendix. The negative correlation between age and AWT indicates lower values of AWT associated with increasing age that could represent the physiological decrease in the immunitary function of the appendix in aged rabbits.

Ultrasonographic measurement of the pancreas and pancreatic duct in clinically normal dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain ultrasonographic reference values for the thickness of the pancreas and the diameter of the pancreatic duct in clinically normal dogs. ANIMALS: 242 adult dogs with no clinical signs of gastrointestinal tract disease. PROCEDURES: The maximum pancreatic thickness and the diameter of the pancreatic duct were recorded ultrasonographically at the level of the left lobe, body, and right lobe of the pancreas. RESULTS: Mean ± SD pancreatic thickness measurements were as follows: left lobe, 6.5 ± 1.7 mm (n = 214); body, 6.3 ± 1.6 mm (155); and right lobe, 8.1 ± 1.8 mm (239). The mean pancreatic duct diameter was 0.6 ± 0.2 mm (n = 42) in the left lobe and 0.7 ± 0.2 mm (213) in the right lobe. The right pancreatic duct was visible in 213/242 (88.0%) dogs, and the left pancreatic duct was visible in 41/242 (16.9%) dogs. However, the body was visible in only 16/242 (6.6%) dogs. Pancreatic thickness and diameter of the pancreatic duct significantly increased with body weight in all lobes, but age was not correlated with the measurements. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Ultrasonographic reference values for the pancreas and pancreatic duct of dogs were determined. Results of this study indicated that the pancreatic duct was visible, especially in the right lobe of the pancreas. These values may be useful for the assessment of pancreatic abnormalities, such as chronic pancreatitis and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.