Mesurement of the cardiac silhouette in clinically normal Poodles and with aquired valvular disease using computed radiography

• Grant number: 08/02203-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: August 01, 2008
• End date: July 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina Brandão de Campos Fonseca Pinto
• Grantee: Gabriela Paola Ribeiro Banon
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Many measurements methods have been proposed for radiographic assessing of the cardiac silhouette in order to minimize the subjectivity of the empirical evaluation. The goal of this study is to apply, in a semi-automatic way, the Vertebral Heart Size (VHS) measurement method, proposed by Buchanan e Bücheler (1995), and to compare the results of this approach with the ones of the calculation of the cardiac area, in Poodles selected as clinically normal and with heart diseases, using for that, the scanning image technology through phosphor plate (IP). This technology presents a number of advantages and is specially well suited for use in research and teaching, mainly through the decrease of the milli-ampere/second dose, which is the most damaging and cumulative part of the radiation; besides saving, in the medium term, the equipment's ampoule and exposing environment/patient/technician/veterinary to smaller risks promoted by radiation. For that, forty dogs, males and females, will be selected, through anamnesis, physical exam, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic exams, ten healthy and thirty, ten in each group, with mitral chronic valvular insufficiency of mild, moderate and severe degree. The animals will be submitted to right lateral and ventrodorsal thoracic radiographic exam for subsequent measurements of VHS and cardiac area.