Gastrointestinal Ultrasonography of Normal Standardbred Neonates and Frequency of Asymptomatic Intussusceptions

• Published in: Journal of veterinary internal medicine 2014-09, Vol.28 (5), p.1580-1586
• Main Authors: Abraham, M, Reef, V.B, Sweeney, R.W, Navas de Solís, C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen; Abdominal; Animals; Animals, Newborn - anatomy & histology; Asymptomatic Diseases; blood flow; cecum; Cecum - diagnostic imaging; Colic; Colon; Colon - diagnostic imaging; Cross-Sectional Studies; duodenum; Duodenum - diagnostic imaging; Equine; foals; Gastrointestinal Tract - diagnostic imaging; Horse Diseases - congenital; Horse Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Horse Diseases - pathology; Horses; Horses - anatomy & histology; Humans; Intestinal obstruction; Intussusception - congenital; Intussusception - diagnostic imaging; Intussusception - veterinary; jejunum; Jejunum - diagnostic imaging; Male; medicine; Motility; neonates; Neonatology; Pediatrics; Prospective Studies; Standardbred; stomach; Stomach - diagnostic imaging; t-test; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonography; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0891-6640; 1939-1676
• DOI: 10.1111/jvim.12413

BACKGROUND: Ultrasonographic appearance of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of equine neonates has not been completely described. OBJECTIVES: To describe (1) sonographic characteristics of the GI segments in normal nonsedated equine neonates, (2) intra‐ and interobserver variation in wall thickness, and (3) the sonographic appearance of asymptomatic intussusceptions, and (4) to compare age and sonographic findings of foals with and without asymptomatic intussusceptions. ANIMALS: Eighteen healthy Standardbred foals ≤5 days of age. METHODS: Prospective, cross‐sectional blinded study. Gastrointestinal sonograms were performed stall‐side. Intraobserver variability in wall thickness measurements was determined by calculating the coefficient of variation (CV). The Bland–Altman method was used to assess interobserver bias. Student's t‐test and Fisher's exact test were used to test the association among presence of intussusceptions, age, and selected sonographic findings. RESULTS: The reference ranges (95% predictive interval) for wall thickness were 1.6–3.6 mm for the stomach, 1.9–3.2 mm for the duodenum, 1.9–3.1 mm for the jejunum, 1.3–2.2 mm for the colon, and 0.8–2.7 mm for the cecum. Intraobserver wall thickness CV ranged from 8 to 21% for the 2 observers for 5 gastrointestinal segments. The interobserver bias for wall thickness measurements was not significant except for the stomach (0.14 mm, P