Heart Size Measurement in the New Zealand White Rabbit by Cardiothoracic Ratio
Rock O. Ukaha *
Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
Jessica I. Iloh
Department of Veterinary Surgery and Theriogenology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: Assessing the heart and other thoracic structures radiographically is very important, in small animal practice, when decisions must be made regarding staging a patient with the suspected cardiac anomaly, deciding about therapy protocols, and monitoring disease progression or response to treatment. The present work was carried out to generate a value for radiographic measurement of heart size in the New Zealand White (NZW) rabbit by the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR).
Materials and Methods: Ten healthy NZW rabbits were used for the study. A dorsoventral (DV) thoracic radiograph was obtained in each of the animals. Cardiac and thoracic diameters of the ten rabbits were evaluated to determine a reference value of CTR in normal NZW rabbits.
Results: Mean plus or minus standard error of mean (M±SEM) CTR were 0.54 ± 0.01. There was not a significant difference between male (0.54 ± 0.01) and female (0.54 ± 0.01) CTR values. There was no correlation between sex and CTR.
Conclusion: In clinical practice, the application of CTR in radiographic assessment of the heart is objective and very easy.
Keywords: Thoracic radiograph, measurement, cardiac diameter, thoracic diameter, cardiothoracic ratio, Dorsoventral projection, New Zealand White rabbit.