Ultrasonographically derived caudal vena cava parameters acquired in a standing position and lateral recumbency in healthy, lightly sedated cats: a pilot study

• Published in: Journal of feline medicine and surgery 2022-10, Vol.24 (10), p.1039-1045
• Main Authors: Hultman, Tove M, Boysen, Søren R, Owen, Rebecca, Yozova, Ivayla D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Cats; Original; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; Standing Position; Thorax; Vena Cava, Inferior - diagnostic imaging
• ISSN: 1098-612X; 1532-2750; 1532-2750
• DOI: 10.1177/1098612X211064697

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of ultrasonographically measuring the caudal vena cava (CVC) at the subxiphoid view of healthy, lightly sedated cats in a standing position and lateral recumbency. Methods This was a prospective, observational, experimental single-centre study. Twenty healthy research-purposed cats were enrolled. Two trained operators scanned each cat in two positions – standing and lateral recumbency – in a randomised order. CVC diameter was measured at the narrowest diameter during inspiration and at the widest diameter during expiration, at two anatomical locations along the CVC – where the CVC crosses the diaphragm (base) and 2 mm caudal to the diaphragm. The CVC collapsibility index (CVC-CI) was calculated for each site. Normalcy was assessed with a Shapiro–Wilk test. A one-way ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey’s test was used to compare inspiratory with expiratory values within and between groups. A paired t-test compared the CVC-CI between groups (P ⩽0.05 indicated statistical significance). Spearman’s correlation and Bland–Altman analysis assessed inter-operator variability. Results All ultrasonographic data passed normalcy and were reported as mean ± SD. When compared with each other, inspiratory and expiratory values were statistically different for position, location and operator (all P