Correlations Among Ultrasonographic Measurements of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter, Age, and Body Weight in Clinically Normal Horses.
Abstract: Early diagnosis of high intracranial pressure (ICP) is critical for minimizing progressive brain injury due to reduced cerebral perfusion. In people, detecting enlargement of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) by transpalpebral ultrasonography has been found to be an accurate test for high ICP. Aims of this prospective, observational, cross-sectional study were to test hypotheses that (1) ultrasonographic measurement of ONSD would be repeatable in horses, (2) have acceptable interobserver agreement, and (3) would be correlated with age and body weight. The sample population included 48 horses without clinical signs of high ICP and with varying ages and body weights. Two observers independently performed ONSD measurements in both eyes. All measurements ranged from 2.6 to 6.5 mm. The mean difference of repeated measures within observers was ≤0.1 mm and the coefficients of variation ranged from 5.0% to 8.8%. The mean difference of measures between observers was ≤0.2 mm. After correcting for performing multiple tests, no significant rank correlation (all r < 0.4 [absolute value]) was detected between ONSD and age or body weight. However, we observed smaller ONSD in foals versus adults (all P ≤ 0.002). In the foals, all observed measures of rostrocaudal and dorsoventral ONSD were <5 mm. In the adults, all observed measures of rostrocaudal and dorsoventral ONSD were ≤6.5 mm. Findings indicated that ultrasonographic ONSD measurement is a feasible test for use in horses of varying ages and sizes. Further investigation of this ultrasonographic measure as a clinical test for horse with suspected high ICP is warranted.
© 2015 American College of Veterinary Radiology.
Publication Date: 2015-09-21 PubMed ID: 26392154DOI: 10.1111/vru.12300Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study investigated correlations among measurements of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) as seen through ultrasonography, age, and body weight in healthy horses with the aim of understanding if it can be used as a feasible high intracranial pressure (ICP) diagnostic tool across different ages and sizes.
Objectives of the Study
- The research aimed at proving if the ultrasonographic measurement of ONSD could be repeatedly carried out in horses.
- It also tested whether there was acceptable agreement in the observation of the measurement between different observers.
- Finally, the goal was to find if there’s a correlation between the ONSD and the age and body weight of the horse.
Methodology
- The study involved 48 clinically healthy horses of varying ages and body weights.
- ONSD measurements of both eyes of each horse were independently taken by two observers.
- Measurements ranged between 2.6 to 6.5 mm.
Findings
- The mean difference in repeated measurements carried out by the same observer was found to be equal to or less than 0.1 mm.
- The coefficients of variation were found to be between 5.0% and 8.8%.
- For the measurements between different observers, the mean difference was found to be equal to or less than 0.2 mm.
- No significant correlation was observed between ONSD measurements, age, and body weight after correction for multiple testing (absolute value of r less than 0.4).
- Different ONSD values were observed in foals and adult horses. Smaller ONSD was observed in foals versus adults
- All ONSD measurements in foals were found to be less than 5 mm, whereas all adult horses had measurements equal to or less than 6.5 mm.
Conclusion
- The study concluded that ultrasonographic ONSD measurement is indeed a feasible method for horses of varying ages and weights.
- The research suggests further investigation into this ultrasonographic measure as a way to detect high ICP in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Cooley SD, Scrivani PV, Thompson MS, Irby NL, Divers TJ, Erb HN.
(2015).
Correlations Among Ultrasonographic Measurements of Optic Nerve Sheath Diameter, Age, and Body Weight in Clinically Normal Horses.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound, 57(1), 49-57.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.12300 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departments of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853.
- Departments of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853.
- Departments of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853.
- Departments of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853.
- Departments of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853.
- Population Medicine & Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853.
MeSH Terms
- Aging
- Animals
- Body Weight
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Female
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Horses / physiology
- Intracranial Pressure
- Male
- Observer Variation
- Optic Nerve / anatomy & histology
- Optic Nerve / diagnostic imaging
- Prospective Studies
- Reproducibility of Results
- Ultrasonography / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Mitchell KG, Appleby RB, Sinclair MD, Singh A. The effect of laparoscopy on intracranial pressure as measured by optic nerve sheath diameter: A review. Can Vet J 2022 Apr;63(4):416-421.
- Vitiello L, De Bernardo M, Capasso L, Cornetta P, Rosa N. Optic Nerve Ultrasound Evaluation in Animals and Normal Subjects. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021;8:797018.
- Kondrashova T, Blanchard J, Knoche L, Potter J, Young BA. Intracranial pressure in the American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis): reptilian meninges and orthostatic gradients. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020 Jan;206(1):45-54.
- Evangelisti MA, Carta G, Burrai GP, Pinna Parpaglia ML, Cubeddu F, Ballocco I, Puggioni A, Manunta ML. Repeatability of ultrasound examination of the optic nerve sheath diameter in the adult cat: comparison between healthy cats and cats suffering from presumed intracranial hypertension. J Feline Med Surg 2020 Oct;22(10):959-965.
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