科研之友
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摘要
Background: Elastography is a promising ultrasound technique that evaluates tissue elasticity, characteristic related to the ability of a body or substance to return to its original size or shape after it is deformed by an external force. In veterinary, the research conducted for the standardization of elastography in tissue evaluation of the animals are recent and given the importance of this new ultrasound technique for studying the stiffness of various tissues and its recent application in veterinary medicine, the aims of this study were to describe the use of ARFI elastography for evaluating the testicular stroma in adults felines and to establish normal reference values for this tissue.
Materials, Methods & Results: Forty five male cats were submitted to B-Mode ultrasonography and ARFI Elastography, by qualitative and quantitative analysis to describe baseline data for the study of domestic feline testes. The echotexture (homogeneous or heterogeneous) ecogenicity (hypo, hyperechoic or mixed), size (increased, decreased or normal) and contours and margins (regular or irregular) of the testes (right and left) were assessed and categorised via B-Mode ultrasound in longitudinal and transverse sections for research of structural changes, such as the presence of cystic areas or masses. Qualitative and quantitative elastography of the testes in felines was performed without difficulty and without sedation. Due to the location of the evaluated structures, there was no interference from movements that hindered the acquisition of the measurements. During qualitative elastography, the felines demonstrated a homogenous and not pliable testicular stroma. The rigidity observed in the testicles of felines was lower compared to the adjacent tissue. The quantitative elastography, the mean shear velocity values were 1.51 m/s (95% confidence interval: 1.42 and 1.59 m/s) for the right testicle and 1.48 m/s (95% confidence interval: 1.41 and 1.54 m/s) for the left testicle of the felines There was no significant difference when comparing the right and left testicular structures.
Discussion: The cats testicles are round or oval structures located ventrally to the anus and dorsally to the foreskin, visible only when the animal tail is raised. The normal testicular ultrasound image showed a pattern of homogeneous echotexture and echogenicity similar to the spleen. Overall, feline testicular ultrasound allowed achieving normal organ morphology, provide volume measurement, and enables the detection of testicular changes that may promote infertility of animals. Quantitative and qualitative ARFI elastography of the testes in felines was easily implemented, and this study provide baseline data for the study of these organs with ARFI. In this context, the feline testicular homogeneity and stiffness values obtained from qualitative ARFI in this study can aid the future use of elastography in the detection of tissue heterogeneity (soft or hard areas) resulting from pathological processes in felines as a noninvasive method of diagnosis. After standardising the reference values for testicular elastography in healthy cats, the differences in shear velocity values of diseased tissues can be evaluated to differentiate between benign and malignant tumours in felines, once the definitive diagnosis of benign or malignant lesions is today made only by histopathology after castration, considered a invasive method, which promotes the loss of the reproductive value of animals.
- 出版日期2015-9-8
