Abstract
BackgroundTo assess and to compare the renal volume evolution in bitches during pregnancy by two-dimensional (2D) ultrasonography using the ellipsoid technique (volume = length x width x depth x 0.523) and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography using the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis (VOCAL) method. A longitudinal prospective study was performed with 17 normal Golden Retrievers bitches during pregnancy from heat to the last third of gestation. The ultrasound scans were performed by two veterinarians. The left and right kidneys were assessed in three moments (day 0 = non-pregnant bitches; days 1st to 20th of pregnancy and days 21st to 40th of pregnancy) by three techniques (ellipsoid; VOCAL 12° and VOCAL 30°). For reproducibility calculations, we used the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).ResultsThe inferential result of the volumes in ANOVA revealed the interaction effect between side and moment (p = 0.009). The 3D techniques showed, in average, the same renal volumes (p = 0.137) regardless of the side and moment. Considering the right side, the renal volume in the day 0 was smaller than the day 21st to 40th (p = 0.029). Considering the left side, the renal volume at day 0 was smaller than the day 1st to 20th (p = 0.020) and day 21st to 40th (p = 0.007). It was found good intra observer reproducibility (ICC > 0.9) and none of the three techniques showed a good inter observer reproducibility (ICC < 0.7).ConclusionThe renal volume bitches by 3D ultrasonography using the VOCAL method (12° and 30°) had good correlation with the volume obtained by 2D ultrasonography method.
Highlights
To assess and to compare the renal volume evolution in bitches during pregnancy by twodimensional (2D) ultrasonography using the ellipsoid technique and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography using the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis (VOCAL) method
Of the 19 bitches initially selected, 2 were excluded due the impossibility of performing the analysis because of advanced gestational age and elevated number of fetuses (12 or more). These bitches showed puffy breathing pattern and excessive restlessness during the ultrasound scan and the fetal images overlapped in renal topography, which resulted in an unsatisfactory quality
The sample selected in this study was composed by 17 bitches with average of 2.9 ± 0.7 (SD – standard deviation) years, ranging from 2 to 4 years
Summary
To assess and to compare the renal volume evolution in bitches during pregnancy by twodimensional (2D) ultrasonography using the ellipsoid technique (volume = length x width x depth x 0.523) and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography using the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis (VOCAL) method. The benefits allow us to plan an adequate management during the duration of pregnancy, to predict the most probable date of birth, to evaluate the fetal viability and the development and best date to perform an elective cesarean section. The three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonography, available in medicine for over ten years enabled great advances in the area of imaging diagnostic, mainly in obstetrics and gynecology. The 3D ultrasonography facilitates the volumetric study of organs and structures, besides it provide a third image plane, the coronal plane, which allows more precisely volumetric calculation mainly those of irregular shapes [2]. The canine renal ultrasonography provides valuable anatomical information regarding the size, shape and internal architecture of the kidneys, which can be obtained even in the presence of a poor renal function or abdominal fluid [3]
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