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Published on: October 24, 2019
Computed tomography in the vivo anatomy of rabbit kidneys (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Avche Dineva1, Kamelia Stamatova-Yovcheva1, Rosen Dimitrov1
1Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Histology and Embryology Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
Background:
The rabbit kidney is a unipapillary organ. According to other researchers, rabbit kidneys have 6-8 pyramids. The crista renalis is well differentiated.
Aim:
This study aimed to describe the computed tomography (CT) anatomy and dimensions of rabbit kidneys.
Methods:
Ten sexually mature, clinically healthy rabbits were divided into two groups (five males and five females). The animals were positioned in the sternal position. A SOMATOM helical computed tomograph was used in the study with consecutive Dicom Viewer reconstructions of the data.
Results:
On transverse precontrast CT scans, the right kidney was observed between Th13 (L1) and L2-L3, and the left kidney appeared between L2 (L3) and L4 (L5). The CT value of the right kidney was 40.28 ± 6.6 HU, and that of the left kidney was 43.36 ± 5.2 HU. The CT method was precise and found an excellent positive correlation between both kidney length (Y variable) and L2 length (X variable). The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.957 for the right kidney and 0.961 for the left kidney at 95% confidence interval. The measured length of both kidneys on CT scans demonstrated a very strong positive correlation with L2 length.Retrospective reconstruction revealed both kidneys as multipapillary organs. The cortex renis and medulla renis were sharply distinct, and the boundary between the capsula fibrosa and capsula adiposa was defined.
Conclusion:
The obtained in vivo results are precise and serve as an anatomical model for the use of CT in rabbits and other animal species, including humans.
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