Radiographic Determination Of Costophrenic Angle Sizes In The Nigerian Indigenous Dog

Abstract

Assessment of major organs like the heart, trachea, lungs, and diaphragm forms the most common thoracic investigation in small animal radiology. In other words, consideration of the sizes and shapes of thoracic sinuses are usually overlooked, unless the angular recesses are grossly abnormal. The objective of this cross-sectional prospective radiologic study was to measure and document normal index values of costophrenic angular recesses in the Nigerian indigenous dog breed. A total 30 dogs (average body weight: 8.19±2.45 kg) were used for the investigation. Thoracic dorsoventral (DV) and ventrodorsal (VD) projections were obtained of each dog, giving a total of 60 radiographs. Each thoracic silhouette was carefully studied and the costo-phrenic angular recesses (CPAs) were measured, in both DV and VD views, and recorded. Expressed as means and standard errors of means, the results obtained were: 23.40±0.770/23.40±0.540 for the left/right DV CPAs and 24.20±0.620/24.27±0.600 for left/right VD CPAs, respectively. The results of this study are clinically relevant and objectively easily applicable in canine practice for thoracic studies.