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Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association2022; 63(3); 353-363; doi: 10.1111/vru.13059

Ex vivo ultrasonographic and histological morphometry of small intestinal wall layers in horses.

Abstract: Ultrasonographic morphometry of wall layers is commonly used in veterinary patients with suspected small intestinal disease, however published studies comparing this method with histopathology in horses are limited. This prospective, methods comparison study compared the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of small intestinal wall layers using ex vivo high-frequency ultrasound versus histopathology in a sample of 16 horses. Transverse section images of duodenum, distal jejunum, and ileum were acquired with a high-frequency linear transducer (7-15 MHz). Transverse histological cryosections were obtained at the same level. Appearance and measurements of the intestinal wall layers were assessed on the ultrasonographic and histological images. High-frequency scanning with the probe in close contact with the serosal surface of the equine intestinal wall allowed a clear and detailed definition of wall layers. A hyperechoic line was consistently detected within the tunica muscularis in all the intestinal tracts, corresponding histologically to the interface between its longitudinal and circular muscle layers. The overall trend of the values for wall layers thickness was comparable between ex vivo ultrasonography and histology. However, a poor agreement was found between the two methods for all layers. The ultrasonographic measurements were thicker compared to histological measurements, with the exception of the total wall and the muscular layer thicknesses. These layers were thinner on ultrasonography in the duodenum and in all the intestinal segments, respectively. Findings from the current study can be used as background for future ultrasonographic investigations of small intestinal diseases in horses.
© 2022 The Authors. Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Radiology.
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Publication Date: 2022-02-16 PubMed ID: 35171532PubMed Central: PMC9306625DOI: 10.1111/vru.13059Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the reliability of using high-frequency ultrasound for analysing the small intestinal wall layers of horses, by comparing it with histopathology data from 16 horse samples. Despite demonstrating certain cross-method similarities, differences were noted, indicating that while ultrasound offers clear definition of wall layers, there is not always a strong correlation with histopathological measurements.

Research Methodology

  • The study was prospective and comparative in nature, with the objective set to assess the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of small intestinal layers using two methods: high-frequency ex vivo ultrasound and histopathology.
  • The researchers acquired images transversely from the duodenum, distal jejunum, and ileum of 16 horses. For the ultrasound imaging they employed a high-frequency linear transducer operating at 7-15 MHz, while cryosections were used for histological assessment.

Results and Observations

  • Results revealed that the high-frequency scanning technique provided a detailed definition of the intestinal wall layers when the probe was in close contact with the serosal surface of the intestine, confirming the method’s potential utility.
  • An echoic line within the tunica muscularis, corresponding to the interface between its longitudinal and circular muscle layers, was consistently detected in all intestinal tracts.
  • While some correlation was observed between ex vivo ultrasound and histology in terms of the wall layers’ thickness values, the two methods showed poor agreement overall. The ultrasound measurements were thicker compared to histological measurements for most layers, barring the overall wall and muscular layer thicknesses which appeared thinner in the ultrasonography records for the duodenum and all the intestinal segments.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The findings suggest that while high-frequency ultrasound can yield clear and detailed images of a horse’s small intestine, the measurements gleaned may not reflect the exact histological features. This is primarily due to distortions caused by the ultrasound method resulting in thicker layer measurements than observed in histology.
  • The thinner measurements for the overall wall and muscular layer thicknesses in the duodenum and other intestinal segments hint at potential limitations of the ultrasound method when applied to certain segments of the intestines.
  • This research could inform future ultrasonographic studies on equine small intestinal diseases by providing a baseline comparison with histopathology.

Cite This Article

APA
Diana A, Freccero F, Giancola F, Linta N, Pietra M, Luca V, Salamanca G, Cipone M, Chiocchetti R. (2022). Ex vivo ultrasonographic and histological morphometry of small intestinal wall layers in horses. Vet Radiol Ultrasound, 63(3), 353-363. https://doi.org/10.1111/vru.13059

Publication

Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association
ISSN: 1740-8261
NlmUniqueID: 9209635
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 63
Issue: 3
Pages: 353-363

Researcher Affiliations

Diana, Alessia
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Freccero, Francesca
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Giancola, Fiorella
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Linta, Nikolina
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Pietra, Marco
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Luca, Valeria
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Salamanca, Giulia
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Cipone, Mario
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.
Chiocchetti, Roberto
  • Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Duodenum / diagnostic imaging
  • Duodenum / pathology
  • Horses
  • Intestine, Small / diagnostic imaging
  • Intestines / diagnostic imaging
  • Jejunum
  • Prospective Studies
  • Ultrasonography / methods
  • Ultrasonography / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Verhaar N, Hammer E, Reineking W, Hewicker-Trautwein M, Geburek F. Ex vivo comparison of full-thickness biopsy techniques in the equine small intestine. Vet Surg 2025 Jan;54(1):208-218.
    doi: 10.1111/vsu.14178pubmed: 39404177google scholar: lookup
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