Repeatability and reproducibility of quantitative contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for assessing duodenal perfusion in healthy dogs

Abstract

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with microbubbles as a contrast agent allows the visualization and quantification of tissue perfusion. The assessment of canine intestinal perfusion by quantitative CEUS may provide valuable information for diagnosing and monitoring chronic intestinal disorders. This study aimed to assess the repeatability (intraday variability) and reproducibility (interday variability) of quantitative duodenal CEUS in healthy dogs. Six healthy beagles underwent CEUS three times within one day (4-hr intervals) and on two different days (1-week interval). All dogs were sedated with a combination of butorphanol (0.2 mg/kg) and midazolam (0.1 mg/kg) prior to CEUS. The contrast agent (Sonazoid®) was administered using the intravenous bolus method (0.01 ml/kg) for imaging of the duodenum. Time-intensity curves (TIC) were created by drawing multiple regions of interest (ROIs) in the duodenal mucosa, and perfusion parameters, including the time-to-peak (TTP), peak intensity (PI), area under the curve (AUC), and wash-in and wash-out rates (WiR and WoR, respectively), were generated. Intraday and interday coefficients of variation (CVs) for TTP, PI, AUC, WiR and WoR were <25% (range, 2.27–23.41%), which indicated that CEUS was feasible for assessing duodenal perfusion in healthy sedated dogs. A further study of CEUS in dogs with chronic intestinal disorders is necessary to evaluate its clinical applicability.

Renal perfusion parameters measured by contrast‐enhanced ultrasound in healthy dogs demonstrate a wide range of variability in the long‐term

“…Moreover, heart rate is negatively correlated with time‐to‐peak in the feline kidney and canine duodenum . Mean arterial pressure, on the other hand, is not correlated with any contrast‐enhanced ultrasound parameters in the canine duodenum . Nevertheless, time‐to‐peak in this study had the lowest amount of variability.…”

“…One of the limitations of the current study was that blood pressure and heart rate values were not measured during contrast‐enhanced ultrasound examinations, and both of these measures could possibly have contributed to the variation of perfusion parameters . Although not high, interday variability of heart rate and mean arterial pressure of dogs sedated with butorphanol and midazolam is 18.3% and 9.5%, respectively . Furthermore, mean peak enhancement, wash‐in perfusion index and wash‐out rate for the entire kidney decreases in cats with increased systolic blood pressure due to infusion with angiotensin II .…”

“…Furthermore, mean peak enhancement, wash‐in perfusion index and wash‐out rate for the entire kidney decreases in cats with increased systolic blood pressure due to infusion with angiotensin II . Moreover, heart rate is negatively correlated with time‐to‐peak in the feline kidney and canine duodenum . Mean arterial pressure, on the other hand, is not correlated with any contrast‐enhanced ultrasound parameters in the canine duodenum .…”

Evaluation of duodenal perfusion by contrast‐enhanced ultrasonography in dogs with chronic inflammatory enteropathy and intestinal lymphoma

“…Enhancement intensity was measured by drawing 4 regions of interest (ROIs) as large as possible in the duodenal mucosa at approximately the same depth and without including major vessels or adjacent tissue. Analysis using 4 ROIs was selected because it exhibited the best repeatability compared to other methods . If 4 ROIs could not be drawn because of motion artifacts, 1, 2, or 3 ROIs were drawn instead.…”

“…Previous studies have reported that CEUS allows characterization of intestinal perfusion in healthy dogs . The assessment of perfusion parameters derived from duodenal CEUS in healthy dogs is clinically acceptable because of its repeatability and reproducibility . However, further studies in dogs with intestinal diseases are warranted to investigate the clinical applicability of this technique as a diagnostic modality.…”