Postmortem magnetic resonance imaging findings of tricuspid atresia with ventricular and atrial septal defects and subvalvular pulmonic stenosis in a Japanese native Noma horse.
Abstract: The necropsy of a 2-day-old Noma horse that died of weakness showed an enlarged cardiac base and a narrow cardiac apex, suggesting cardiac malformation. The excised heart underwent imaging to investigate its luminal structure. On three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging, the right atrium and right ventricle were discontinuous. The right atrium communicated with the left atrium and the left ventricle communicated with the right ventricle. The lumen narrowed near the pulmonary artery valve. Since the same findings were observed on gross examination, the foal was diagnosed with tricuspid atresia with ventricular and atrial septal defects, along with subvalvular pulmonic stenosis.
©2023 The Japanese Society of Equine Science.
Publication Date: 2024-01-18 PubMed ID: 38274557PubMed Central: PMC10806361DOI: 10.1294/jes.34.121Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The researchers conducted a postmortem examination on a 2-day-old Noma horse that showed signs of cardiac malformation, which eventually led to its death. They used a three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging to study the heart and discovered that the animal suffered from tricuspid atresia with additional cardiac complications.
Research Findings
- The research began with a necropsy conducted on a 2-day old Noma horse that had died due to weakness. The examination revealed an unnatural enlargement of the cardiac base, coupled with a narrow cardiac apex. These physical abnormalities pointed towards a potential cardiac malformation.
- With the aim of understanding the luminal structure more accurately, the researchers carried out a three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging on the excised heart. The images unveiled a discontinuity between the right atrium and the right ventricle – two key chambers of the heart. Moreover, it was found that the right atrium was linked to the left atrium, while the left ventricle had a connection with the right ventricle. Generally in a healthy heart, the right atrium is connected to the right ventricle and the left atrium to the left ventricle.
- The imaging further revealed a lumen that narrowed close to the valve leading to the pulmonary artery. This abnormality suggested a possible case of pulmonic stenosis, which hampers the normal flow of blood from the heart to the lungs.
- Based on the replication of the findings from the three-dimensional imaging on the gross examination, the researchers arrived at a diagnosis. They concluded that the foal had been suffering from tricuspid atresia. This is a rare heart defect that is present at birth (congenital), wherein a valve (tricuspid valve) between two of the heart’s chambers isn’t formed. As a result, there is no direct pathway for blood to go from the right atrium to the right ventricle.
- Additionally, the foal had both ventricular and atrial septal defects. This means that there were openings in the wall that separates the top two chambers of the heart (atrial septal defect) and the bottom two chambers of the heart (ventricular septal defect).
- The foal also suffered from subvalvular pulmonic stenosis, where an obstruction lies below the pulmonic valve, creating an obstruction in blood flow from the heart to the lungs. These combined diagnostic findings helped conclude the cause of the foal’s critical health condition, which eventually led to its premature death.
Final Diagnosis
Cite This Article
APA
Kutara K, Kadekaru S, Hisaeda K, Sugimoto K, Ono T, Inoue Y, Nakamura S, Yoshitake R, Ohzawa E, Goto A, Iwata E, Shibano K, Une Y, Kitagawa H.
(2024).
Postmortem magnetic resonance imaging findings of tricuspid atresia with ventricular and atrial septal defects and subvalvular pulmonic stenosis in a Japanese native Noma horse.
J Equine Sci, 34(4), 121-125.
https://doi.org/10.1294/jes.34.121 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Noma Horse Preservation Society, Ehime 794-0082, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Okayama University of Science, Ehime 794-8555, Japan.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
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