Repeatability and reproducibility of transabdominal ultrasonographic intestinal wall thickness measurements in Thoroughbred horses.
Abstract: The aims of this study were to assess the repeatability and reproducibility of transabdominal ultrasonography to assess intestinal wall thickness in adult Thoroughbred horses (n = 8). Ultrasonographic cineloops were captured by one examiner from each horse for five consecutive days. During each examination at least three cineloops were obtained for five different intestinal tract locations. Measurements were performed by three separate observers to assess reproducibility and measured on three separate occasions by three observers to evaluate short-term repeatability. The repeatability of measurements from the duodenum (0.3 +/- 0.04 cm), jejunum (0.29 +/- 0.05 cm), ventral colon (0.37 +/- 0.01 cm), and cecum (0.42 +/- 0.03 cm) were good (P > 0.291). The reproducibility of measurements from the duodenum, jejunum, and ventral colon were good (P > 0.394). Reproducibility of measurement of the cecal wall was inadequate (P = 0.01), although the maximum difference between observers was 0.07 cm. It was possible to image all areas on all days, with the exception of the duodenum, which could not be imaged in one horse, on 1 day. Equine intestinal wall measurements are therefore repeatable and reproducible with the exception of reproducibility of the measurements of cecal wall. Although an accepted clinical technique, measurement of cecal wall thickness from intestinal ultrasound images in a clinical setting must be interpreted with care.
Publication Date: 2010-12-17 PubMed ID: 21158239DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2010.01715.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Validation Study
- Adult Horses
- Anatomy
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Imaging
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Equine Health
- Gastrointestinal Health
- Horses
- Imaging Techniques
- Intestinal Pathology
- Observational Study
- Physiology
- Reproducibility of Results
- Thoroughbreds
- Ultrasound
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
Summary
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This research studied the use of ultrasound for measuring intestinal wall thickness in adult Thoroughbred horses, finding that the technique generally yields repeatable and consistent results, except for measurements of the cecal wall.
Objective of the Study
- The core objective was to evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of using transabdominal ultrasonography to measure the intestinal wall thickness in adult Thoroughbred horses.
Methodology of the Study
- The study involved eight horses. Over five consecutive days, ultrasonographic cineloops (moving ultrasound images) were captured by one examiner from each horse.
- At least three cineloops were taken for five distinct intestinal locations: the duodenum, jejunum, ventral colon, and cecum.
- Three different observers measured the captured images to evaluate the reproducibility of the method.
- Measurements were repeated on three separate occasions by these three observers to assess short-term repeatability.
Results of the Study
- The repeatability of the technique was generally good for measurements from the duodenum, jejunum, ventral colon, and cecum with value more than 0.291.
- The reproducibility of the method was also mostly good for duodenum, jejunum, and ventral colon measurements with value more than 0.394.
- However, the reproducibility of measurements from the cecal wall was found to be inadequate with a p-value of 0.01, indicating potentially unreliable results.
- Despite this, the maximum difference between observers for the cecal wall was only 0.07 cm, which might not be a significant difference in a clinical setting.
Conclusion of the Study
- The conclusion from the study is that measurements of equine intestinal wall thickness via transabdominal ultrasonography are generally repeatable and reproducible.
- However, the exception is measurements of cecal wall thickness, which could not yield consistent results across different observers and hence must be interpreted with care in a clinical setting.
Cite This Article
APA
Bithell S, Habershon-Butcher JL, Bowen IM, Hallowell GD.
(2010).
Repeatability and reproducibility of transabdominal ultrasonographic intestinal wall thickness measurements in Thoroughbred horses.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound, 51(6), 647-651.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8261.2010.01715.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Referral Hospital, Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, Hertsfordshire AL9 7TA, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Abdomen / diagnostic imaging
- Animals
- Female
- Horses / anatomy & histology
- Intestines / anatomy & histology
- Intestines / diagnostic imaging
- Male
- Reproducibility of Results
- Ultrasonography / methods
- Ultrasonography / standards
- Ultrasonography / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Diana A, Freccero F, Giancola F, Linta N, Pietra M, Luca V, Salamanca G, Cipone M, Chiocchetti R. Ex vivo ultrasonographic and histological morphometry of small intestinal wall layers in horses. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2022 May;63(3):353-363.
- Cuevas-Ramos G, Domenech L, Prades M. Small Intestine Ultrasound Findings on Horses Following Exploratory Laparotomy, Can We Predict Postoperative Reflux?. Animals (Basel) 2019 Dec 9;9(12).
- Siwinska N, Zak A, Baron M, Cylna M, Borowicz H. Right dorsal colon ultrasonography in normal adult ponies and miniature horses. PLoS One 2017;12(10):e0186825.
- Mirle E, Wogatzki A, Kunzmann R, Schoenfelder AM, Litzke LF. Correlation between capillary oxygen saturation and small intestinal wall thickness in the equine colic patient. Vet Rec Open 2017;4(1):e000197.
- Williams S, Cooper J, Freeman S. Evaluation of normal findings using a detailed and focused technique for transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonography in the horse. BMC Vet Res 2014;10 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S5.
- Abraham M, Reef VB, Sweeney RW, Navas de Solís C. Gastrointestinal ultrasonography of normal Standardbred neonates and frequency of asymptomatic intussusceptions. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Sep-Oct;28(5):1580-6.
- Pekkarinen HM, Simola U, Niinistö KE, Syrjä PES. Clinical features, diagnostic findings, and treatment response in Finnish horses examined for equine inflammatory bowel disease. Acta Vet Scand 2025 Dec 3;68(1):2.
- Accorroni L, Bazzano M, Marchegiani A, Spaterna A, Laus F. Abdominal Ultrasonography in Healthy Female Standard Donkeys. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 8;15(2).
- Haardt H, Romero AE, Boysen SR, Tan JY. Comparison of transrectal and transabdominal transducers for use in fast localized abdominal sonography of horses presenting with colic. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1307938.
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