Ultrasonographic measurement of the adrenal gland in neonatal foals: Reliability of the technique and assessment of variation in healthy foals during the first five days of life

Eleonora Lauteri*, Jole Mariella, Francesca Beccati, Ellen De Graaf-Roelfsema, Carolina Castagnetti, Marco Pepe, Tanja Peric, Olimpia Barbato, Marta Montillo, Stefanie Rouge, Francesca Freccero

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background: Adrenal gland ultrasonographic measurements are useful in clinical evaluation of patients with adrenal dysfunction in several species. In human healthy neonates, the ultrasonographic size of the adrenal glands decreases during the first days of life. Ultrasonography of adrenal glands was demonstrated to be feasible in neonatal foals. The aims of this study were to describe a technique for ultrasonographic measurement of adrenal gland size to test its reliability in neonatal foals, and to assess any variation of ultrasonographic measurements during the first five days of life in healthy foals. Methods: First, measurements of the adrenal glands were retrospectively obtained by three observers in 26 adrenal gland images of 13 healthy and sick neonatal foals. The interobserver and intraobserver agreement were tested. Later, adrenal gland ultrasonographic images and measurements were acquired by one operator in 11 healthy neonatal foals at one, three and five days of life and differences among the measurements obtained at the different time points were assessed. Results: Interobserver agreement ranged from fair to excellent (0.48-0.92), except for cortex width (
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere117
Pages (from-to)1-6
Number of pages6
JournalVeterinary Record
Volume187
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 19 Dec 2020

Keywords

  • adrenal gland
  • equine neonates
  • inter-observer
  • size
  • ultrasound

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