PhD School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of University of Sao Paulo / Nutricare Vet Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Abstract:
Background: Ultrasound evaluation of the liver volume can be an important information about dogs with suspected hepatopathy. There are few data regarding estimation of canine liver volume by ultrasonography.
Objectives: To obtain a method of measuring liver volume (mL) by ultrasonography. Animals: 82 cadavers of dogs of various ages and breeds after recent natural death were used.
Methods: Morphological external measures [chest perimeter (PERI, cm); chest height (H, cm) and chest width (WC)], body weight (BW, kg) and two linear ultrasound liver measures [A (from the beginning of the hepatic parenchyma to the diaphragm tangent to the neck of the gallbladder) and E (from the caudal border of the liver to the diaphragm, measured on the midline)], both in cm, were performed three times by two veterinary sonographers. Liver volume was determined by water displacement method. Linear regression was used to correlate liver volume and measurements.
Results: The ultrasound measurements proved to be reproducible inter and intra observer. Three equations were obtained: 639 + 10BW + 75A - 55H - 23PERI + 1.4H x PERI (adjusted r2 = 0.81; p < 0.01); 822 + 14BW + 59E - 59H - 28PERI + 1.7H x PERI (adjusted r2 = 0.83; p < 0.01); 30 + 0,3H x WC x A (adjusted r2 = 0,88; p < 0,01). Conclusions and clinical importance: The association of liver ultrasound measures with body weight, chest perimeter, chest height and chest width provided strong correlations with the liver volume and can be useful to clinical routine.
