Reliability of ultrasonographic examination of the large intestine in healthy cows

Abstract

ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of ultrasonographic examination of the large intestine in 10 clinically healthy Jersey/Red Sindhi crossbred cows. The area extending from the tuber coxae to the 6 th intercostal space (ICS) and from the lumbar transverse processes to the linea alba on the right side was shaved. An imaginary line was drawn from the distal third of the femur up to the 8 th ICS parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cow. The large intestine was scanned dorsal to this imaginary line. Only the near wall of the large intestine adjacent to the abdominal wall could be imaged ultrasonographically. Based on the topographical anatomy, the ultrasonographic images of the caecum and the proximal loop of the ascending colon (PLAC), resembling the 'arc of a circle' , were observed in the mid to dorsal right paralumbar fossa and the 12 th ICS; however, the caecum and the PLAC could not be differentiated with certainty using ultrasonography. Similarly, the ultrasonographic images of the spiral loop of the ascending colon (SLAC), resembling a 'cycloid' , could be imaged through the 12 th to 11 th ICSs and in the dorsal right paralumbar fossa; yet, ultrasonographically, it was difficult to differentiate the SLAC from the descending loop of the ascending colon, transverse colon, and descending colon, respectively. The differences (qualitative and quantitative) in the degrees of curvatures of various ultrasonographic images of parts of the large intestine were also not helpful. In conclusion, ultrasonographic imaging of various parts of the bovine large intestine should be interpreted with caution.Keywords: ultrasonography; large intestine; caecum; colon; cows List of abreviations DC = descending colon, DLAC = descending loop of the ascending colon, ICS = intercostal space, PLAC = proximal loop of the ascending colon, SC = sigmoid colon, SLAC = spiral loop of the ascending colon, TC = transverse colon Knowledge of the topographic relations of the large intestine (caecum and colon) to the body wall is essential to the veterinary surgeon for its clinical examination, which includes the techniques of transrectal palpation, laparoscopy, ultrasonography, and diagnostic laparotomy. The caecum lies in the dorsal part of the right abdominal cavity and extends from the middle of the lumbar region to the pelvic inlet with a free, rounded blind apex which projects caudally from the supraomental recess. The colon consists of the ascending colon, transverse colon, and descending colon. The ascending colon, the longest part of the large intestine, has three parts/loops (proximal, spiral, and distal). The proximal loop of the ascending colon (PLAC) runs cranially for a short distance to the plane of the right kidney, where it doubles back dorsal to the first part and the caecum. It then turns mediodorsally around the caudal border of the mesentery and runs cranially on the left side of the mesentery. Ventral to the descending duodenum, in the supraomental recess of the greater omentum, are the PLAC and t...

Differential diagnosis and surgical management of cecal dilatation vis-a-vis cecal impaction in bovine

“…[ 1 ], Amrein [ 4 ], Braun et al . [ 5 ], Singh [ 7 ], and Imran and Tyagi [ 18 ]. The presence of reverberations across the cecal wall was indicative of gas in the cecum.…”

“…Visualization of cecal wall along with gas over a large area was confirmatory for cecal dilatation as reported by Khalphallah et al . [ 1 ], Singh [ 7 ], and Imran and Tyagi [ 18 ]. Ultrasonographic visualization of cecal wall along with strong distal acoustic shadow was confirmatory for cecal impaction.…”