Radiographic measurement of cardiac size in 27 rabbits

Right lateral position (RL) chest radiograms were obtained from 27 heart disease-free rabbits, and cardiac sizes were compared according to body weight (<1.6 vs. > or =1.6 kg) and gender (female vs. male). Significant differences (P<0.05) were observed in RL-long axis (RL-LA) and RL-vertebral heart size (RL-VHS). RL-LA was 4.22 +/- 0.25 and 4.48 +/- 0.3, and RL-VHS was 7.55 +/- 0.38 and 7.99 +/- 0.58, in the <1.6 kg (n=12) and > or =1.6 kg (n=15) groups, respectively. These values should prove useful as new diagnostic indices for cardiac disease in rabbits.