Veterinary Research Forum
Vet Res Forum

Development and evaluation of methods for vertebral heart score ‎determination in guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)‎

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Majid Masoudifard 1
Amir Rostami 2
Masoumeh Shahmohamadi Nodolaghi 3
Mohammad Reza Esmaili Nejad 1
Alireza Bahonar 4

1 Department of Radiology and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran‎

3 DVM Graduate, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran‎

4 Department of Food Hygiene and Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30466/vrf.2020.108629.2580
Abstract
Cardiac problems are highly fetal diseases among exotic animals, not only in the rabbit which is prone to such diseases but also in the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus). In rodents, imaging studies such as thoracic radiography are more practical and easier to perform than echocardiography. Cardiac size is primarily evaluated using vertebral heart size (VHS) as reported in ferrets and rabbits. We therefore attempted to determine standard cardiac dimensions in the guinea pig by thoracic radiography using VHS. The purpose of this research was getting an indicator of the normal range of male and female, mature and apparently healthy guinea pigs heart. Standard radiographs of the thorax in lateral and ventro-dorsal (VD) views were taken and interpreted. In our study to determine VHS in VD view conventional method was used. In addition to conventional VHS method, two other measurement methods were performed in lateral view. Statistical analyses were performed with a SPSS Software and Mann-Whitney U test to compare results. Mean and standard deviation were also calculated. According to the results, the total average of VHS in lateral view by the first method was 7.80 ± 0.12, by the second method was 7.80 ± 0.16, by the third method was 7.60 ± 0.15 and the total of average of VHS in VD view was 9.20 ± 0.23. According to present research findings, gender had no meaningful effect on the measuring of the heart size. More researches on the same age and the same species guinea pigs are needed for more accurate evaluation.

Keywords

Guinea pig
‎ Radiography ‎
‎ Vertebral heart score
  1. Petrie JP. Cardiovascular and other disease. In: Quesenberry K, Carpenter J (Eds). Ferrets, rabbits and rodents clinical medicine and surgery. 2nd Philadelphia, USA: WB Saunders 2007; 58-66.
  2. Masoudifard M, Esmailinejad MR, Sakhaee E, et al. Pulsed wave Doppler echocardiographic assessment after sedation by intravenous injection of medetomidine and xylazine hydrochloride on cardiac output and systolic time intervals in one-humped camel calves (Camelus dromedarious). Iran J Vet Res 2020; 21(4): 257-262.
  3. Buchanan JW, Bücheler J. Vertebral scale system to measure canine heart size in radiographs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1995; 206(2):194-199.
  4. Stepien RL, Benson KG, Forrest LJ. Radiographic measurement of cardiac size in normal ferrets. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 1999; 40(6): 606-610.
  5. Onuma M, Ono S, Ishida T, et al. Radiographic measurement of cardiac size in 27 rabbits. J Vet Med Sci 2010; 72(4): 529-531.
  6. Wagner WM, Kirberger RM. Radiographic anatomy of the thorax and abdomen of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2005; 46(3): 217-224.
  7. Moarabi A, Mosallanejad B, Ghadiri AR, et al. Radiographic measurement of vertebral heart scale (VHS) in New Zealand white rabbits. Iran J Vet Surg 2015; 10(1): 37-42.
  8. Schmidt RE, Reavill DR. Cardiovascular disease in hamsters: Review and retrospective study. J Exot Pet Med 2007; 16(1): 49-51.
  9. Avner A, Kirberger RM. The effect of the various thoracic views on the appearance of selected thoracic viscera. J Small Anim Prac 2005; 46: 491-498.
  10. Spencer CP, Ackerman N, Burt JK. The canine lateral thoracic radiology. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 1981; 22(6): 262-266.
  11. Marin LM, Brown J, McBrien C, et al. Vertebral heart size in retired racing Greyhounds. Vet Radiol Ultra-sound 2007; 48(4): 332-334.
  12. Gugjoo MB, Hoque M, Saxena AC, et al. Vertebral scale system to measures heart size in dogs in thoracic radiographs. Adv Anim Vet Sci 2013; 1(1): 1-4.
  13. Bavegems V, Van Caelenberg A, Duchateau L, et al. Vertebral heart size ranges specific for whippets. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2005; 46(5): 400-403.
  14. Greco A, Meomartino L, Raiano V, et al. Effect of left vs. right recumbency on the vertebral heart score in normal dogs. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2008; 49(5): 454-455.
  15. Ghadiri A, Avizeh R, Rasekh A, et al. Radiographic measurement of vertebral heart size in healthy stray cats. J Feline Med Surg 2008; 10(1): 61-65.
  16. Olive J, Javard R, Specchi S, et al. Effect of cardiac and respiratory cycles on vertebral heart score measured on fluoroscopic images of healthy dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015; 246(10): 1091-1097.
  17. Almeida, GLG, Almeida MB, Santos AC M, et al. Vertebral heart size in healthy Belgian Malinois dogs. J Vet Adv 2015; 5: 1176-1180.
Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 12, Issue 3
Summer 2021
Pages 357-360

  • Receive Date 27 May 2019
  • Revise Date 10 January 2020
  • Accept Date 11 January 2020

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Reviewers

Contact Us