Diagnostic Imaging Techniques

The practical use of computed tomography in evaluation of shell lesions in six loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta)

“…Results of computed tomography examination in stranded loggerhead turtles (n = 6) Turtle Description of the main health complication recorded 1 vertebral lesion at the level of the 3 rd thoracic-lumbar vertebra -vertebral lamina and the vertebral body were involved without compression of the spinal cord vertebral lesion at the level of the 7 th thoracic-lumbar vertebra -vertebral lamina involved only vertebral lesion at the level of the 8 th thoracic-lumbar vertebra -vertebral lamina involved only 2 on the left side of the carapace, near the carapace-plastron bridge, loss of 10 cm of the shell massive compression of organs especially on the left lung 3-6 superficial lesions were discovered, without any connections to the bone and organs of the coelom no lesions affecting the lungs have been recorded as the possible causes of the stranding and diving difficulties In such cases, physical examination does not give sufficient information to allow characterisation of the exact cause of stranding, and the use of modern methods of non-invasive diagnostic imaging is necessary. Studies dealing with diagnostic imaging in chelonians have been published (Rubel and Kuoni 1991;DeShaw et al 1996;Hernandez-Divers and Hernandez-Divers 2001;Gumpenberger 2002;Hernandez-Divers and Lafortune 2004;Raiti 2004;Wilkinson et al 2004;Silverman 2006). Although standard methods of veterinary radiography can be used in turtles, the final diagnosis is challenging due to superimposition of many anatomical structures.…”

Sectional anatomic and magnetic resonance imaging features of coelomic structures of loggerhead sea turtles

“…In T2-weighted images of spur-thighed tortoises and Aldabran tortoises, blood vessels had a hyperintense signal and the liver and heart were more hyperintense than the pectoral musculature. 10 Also, in green turtles, the branching pulmonary vasculature was easily seen in the dorsal plane because of the contrast between its hyperintense signal and the hypointensity of the pulmonary parenchyma. 13 In healthy loggerhead sea turtles, the blood and, consequently, vascular structures had a typical void signal.…”

“…In previous reports 10,12 of MRI in reptilian species, it is stated that most chelonians do not develop major problems during the time required for examination via MRI and may not even require sedation. In the present study, chemical restraint was necessary in addition to the immobilization of the turtle' s head and flippers with a large self-adhesive band.…”

“…9 However, its true potential will only be realized when sufficient clinicians have used the technique on enough turtles to provide accurate interpretation of the resulting images. 10 Some authors have reported the MRI appearance of the internal structures in other species of chelonians such as the spur-thighed tortoise (Testudo graeca), Aldabra giant tortoise (Dipsochelys elephantine), Hermann' s tortoise (Testudo hermani), central Asian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii), leopard tortoise (Geochelone pardalis pardalis), Kinixys spp, and the red-eared slider terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans). [9][10][11][12] To the authors' knowledge, the literature contains only 1 article that includes a description of gross cross-sectional anatomic features correlated with the use of MRI to detect internal tumors in green turtles (Chelonia mydas) with cutaneous fibropapillomatosis, 13 in which the authors describe the normal MRI appearance of this species on the basis of 1 healthy turtle and 3 dead turtles.…”

-Lung hemorrhage in a green iguana (Iguana iguana) with chronic metabolic failure: a case report

“…A valuable diagnostic contribution is a direct endoscopic visualization of organs supplemented with biopsy of sample tissue for laboratory analyses (Divers, 1999;Hernandez-Divers, 2003;Wilkinson et al, 2004). Recent literature describes evaluation of kidney function by scintigraphy and glomerular filtration rate (Greer et al, 2004;Hernandez-Divers et al, 2005).…”