Computed tomography of the abdomen of calves during the first 105 days of life: III. Urinary tract and adrenal glands

Abstract

Computed tomographic (CT) findings of the urinary tract and adrenal glands of five healthy male calves in the first 105 days of life were compared with corresponding cadaver slices. The structures seen on CT images were identified using the corresponding cadaver slices. CT produced exact images of the kidneys, urinary bladder, urethra and adrenal glands, but reliable images of the ureters were only obtained near the renal hilus. There was excellent agreement between the structures on the CT images and the tissue slices. The structure and vessels of the kidneys, the origin of the ureters, the location, size and content of the urinary bladder and the course of the urethra in the pelvis and penis were evident on images. The size and volume of the kidneys and the length and width of the adrenal glands increased significantly during the study, but the ureteral and urethral diameters changed little.

Ultrasonography of Normal Adrenal Glands in Adult Holstein–Friesian Cows: A Pilot Study

“…The appearance of the adrenal glands has been described in one CT study, which provided reference length and width values for healthy calves up to age 105 days [21]. CT has many advantages over ultrasound (i.e., multiplanar reconstruction, absence of overlap of anatomic structures), but it is not available in routine bovine clinical practice and it is not suitable for abdominal examination in adult animals.…”

“…The left gland is typically larger and heavier than the right gland. Blood is supplied to the adrenal glands via the celiac artery (not the aorta itself) [21,[23][24][25][26][27].…”

“…As the location of adrenal glands in cattle does not allow exploration by transrectal ultrasound, a transabdominal window must be used. We have only found one report of the appearance of the adrenal glands determined by a diagnostic imaging technique, computed tomography (CT), in cattle (only calves) [21]. Abdominal CT is a powerful tool, but it is not normally available in the clinical setting, and it is not suited for use in adult large animals.…”