Dataset of endometrial blood flow from pregnant and non-pregnant mares on day 7 and 8 post-ovulation.

The research article presents a dataset from studies using power Doppler ultrasound to observe the equine uterus, particularly the blood flow in the endometrium of pregnant and non-pregnant horses. The dataset specifically captures comparisons made on day 7 and 8 post-ovulation, employing computer analysis, ROC curves, and Youden’s J statistics to assess the diagnostic value of the technique for early pregnancy detection.

Study Overview

• This study is a deeper dive into a previously published research article titled “Power Doppler can detect the presence of 7-8 days conceptuses prior to flushing in an equine embryo transfer program”. The previous research suggested the potential of Power Doppler ultrasound technology as a tool for early detection of pregnancy in mares.
• The emphasis of this study is on the vascularization of the equine endometrium, which refers to the formation of new blood vessels in the uterus wall, an important function to support embryo growth and development.
• This study employed computer-assisted analysis of imaging to quantify the pixel data from Ultrasound scans, creating a comprehensive dataset that can be used for subsequent research or to advance diagnostic techniques.

Methodology and Techniques

• This research utilized doppler ultrasound scans of 52 horses which were all assessed on days 7 or 8 post-ovulation. The number of examined mares were equally divided between these two days; 26 mares for each day.
• The data were processed in bitmap (BMP) format and the blood flow in the equine endometrium was assessed objectively by analyzing and counting the pixels in the ultrasound images, a task performed using computer assisted image analysis.
• These procedures were conducted prior to the traditional techniques of flushing the mares for embryo recovery, a standard procedure in equine breeding programs.

Data Analysis

• Two statistical tools were employed in analyzing the dataset: Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Youden’s J statistics. These tools were used to assess the diagnostic value of the Power Doppler Ultrasound techniques, in the context of its application for the detection of early pregnancy.
• ROC curves are used in medicine to analyze the performance of diagnostic tests, creating a graph of the sensitivity of a test against its false positive rate. In this context, it was used to assess the performance of the ultrasound technique.
• Youden’s J statistics were also employed, a method for deciding the optimal cut-off criteria in diagnostic tests. This was used to establish ranges or ‘cut-off’ values that would differentiate between pregnant and non-pregnant mares on the 7th and 8th day post-ovulation.