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Contrast echocardiography for analysis of heart anatomy in tortoises
M Prütz1, S Hungerbühler, M Laß
1Dr. Maike Prütz, Clinic for Pets, Reptiles, Pet and Feral Birds, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Bünteweg 9, 30559 Hannover, Germany,
Insights
Contrast-enhanced echocardiography improves visualization of tortoise cardiac anatomy. This technique, using SonoVue®, aids in differentiating cardiac structures and blood flow patterns in reptiles.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Cardiology
- Reptile Anatomy
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- B-mode and color-Doppler echocardiography have limitations in depicting tortoise cardiac anatomy.
- Accurate visualization of cardiac structures and blood flow is crucial for reptile health assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of contrast-echocardiography in enhancing the depiction of cardiac anatomy in tortoises.
- To compare contrast-enhanced echocardiography with traditional B-mode and color-Doppler techniques.
Main Methods:
- Intravenous injection of sulphur hexafluoride (SonoVue®) contrast agent in four tortoises.
- Parallel B-mode echocardiographic examination and comparison with contrast-free recordings and color-Doppler ultrasound.
Main Results:
- SonoVue® contrast agent significantly improved the distinction of cardiac structures.
- Enhanced visualization of major arteries, wash-out shunts, and blood flow patterns was achieved.
- Contrast-echocardiography provided clearer differentiation compared to B-mode and color-Doppler alone.
Conclusions:
- Contrast-echocardiography, combined with B-mode and color-Doppler, enables accurate depiction and differentiation of tortoise cardiac anatomy.
- Understanding reptile heart blood flow is essential for interpreting echocardiographic findings.
- This study establishes a basis for advanced echocardiographic examinations in tortoises.
Objective:
The cardiac anatomy in tortoises depicted on B-mode and color-Doppler should be better differentiated by additional contrast-echocardiography.
Material And Methods:
An intravenous contrast agent (INN-sulphur hexafluoride [SonoVue®]) was injected in four tortoises (three Testudo hermanni, one Agrionemys horsfieldii), via the coccygeal vein, with parallel B-mode echocardiographic examination. The results of the contrast-enhanced echocardiography were compared with the contrast-free B-mode recordings and color-Doppler ultrasound.
Results:
The use of SonoVue® enabled clearer distinction of the cardiac structures, differentiation of the arising major arteries, identification of wash-out-shunts, and visualization of blood flow patterns throughout the tortoise heart.
Conclusion And Clinical Relevance:
This study enables the accurate depiction and differentiation of cardiac anatomy in tortoises through the use of a combination of B-mode, color-Doppler and contrast-echocardiography. Basic knowledge of blood flow in the reptile heart is essential to understand echocardiographic anatomy. Blood-flow-patterns and anatomy of the tortoise heart as found in this study will help to establish a basis for further echocardiographic examinations of these animals.
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