TRANSRECTAL TRANSDUCERS IN EQUINE ULTRASOUND
ultrasound has a sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value of 100% (Scharner et al., 2015 ). Further, although not statistically significant, there was higher incidence of detection of thickened colonic wall with the transrectal transducer, which cor- responded to diagnoses of left dorsal displacement, colon impaction, colitis and impaction with right dorsal displacement. The low- depth penetration and high near- field resolution of the transrectal probe may explain this difference. According to Scharner et al. ( 2015 ), high- frequency transducers can improve image details for superficially positioned structures and Barton ( 2011 ) also describes that linear transducers may optimise resolution of superficial intraabdominal structures. Limitations of the study include lack of hair clipping, which may have disproportionately impacted the transrectal trans- ducer due to its low depth penetration, severely painful horses were excluded from the study to not impact their prompt treatment and limited numbers of patients (24 horses) were evaluated during the 2- month study.
CONCLUSION Recent
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FUNDING INFORMATION The authors declare that the research summarised in this review was funded by the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine Internship Research Fund.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
ORCID Jean- Yin Tan
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2331-4478 Hanna Haardt
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4728-8289
REFERENCES
Barton , M.H. ( 2011 ) Understanding abdominal ultrasonography in horses: which way is up? Compendium (Yardley, PA) , 33 ( 9 ), E2 .
Beccati , F. , Pepe , M. , Gialletti , R. , Cercone , M. , Bazzica , C. & Nannarone , S. ( 2011 ) Is there a statistical correlation between ultrasonographic findings and definitive diagnosis in horses with acute abdominal pain? Equine Veterinary Journal , 43 ( S39 ), 98 – 105 . Available from: https:// doi. org/ 10. 1111/j. 2042- 3306. 2011. 00428. x
literature shows that the readily accessible transrectal
transducer can be used in transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonog- raphy of healthy horses to detect all organs, with decreased visu- alisation of the left kidney, stomach and left liver lobe. In horses presenting with colic, it can be used with the FLASH protocol to successfully detect abnormalities in abdominal fluid, small intes- tine and large intestine, which could make a significant impact on critical decisions regarding referral and surgical intervention. It is less useful for conditions that require detection of the left kid- ney and stomach, including nephrosplenic entrapment, left dorsal displacement and gastric dilation. Overall, both studies were the first to prospectively explore the use of transrectal transducer in transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonography. While the transrectal transducer does not replace the use of the abdominal transducer in
transcutaneous abdominal ultrasonography, these research
findings have significant ramifications for the ultrasonographic diagnosis of colic in the field. Future directions for research in- clude larger- scale studies and investigation of the use of transrec- tal transducers in abdominal ultrasonography of horses presenting with pathology, beyond the use of the FLASH protocol.
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS Jean- Yin Tan: Conceptualization; writing – original draft; writing – review and editing; investigation; project administration. Hanna Haardt: Writing – review and editing; investigation.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors acknowledge Soren Boysen, Alfredo Romero and Anika Lohnherr who were co- authors of the research summarised in this review. The authors wish to thank Jamie Neufield, Merete Moller- Jensen and Simon Bourassi for their contribution to image collection in the research.
Bowden , A. , England , G.C.W. , Brennan , M.L. , Mair , T.S. , Furness , W.A. , Freeman , S.L. et al. ( 2020 ) Indicators of ‘critical’ outcomes in 941 horses seen ‘out- of- hours’ for colic . The Veterinary Record , 187 ( 12 ), 492 . Available from: https:// doi. org/ 10. 1136/ vr. 105881
Bradecamp , E.A. ( 2007 ) How to image the adult equine abdomen and tho- rax in ambulatory practice using a 5- MHz rectal robe . Proceedings of the American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, Orlando, FL.
Burrell (nee Lightfoot) , K. , Sutton- Walker , G. , England , G.C.W. , Burford , J.H. & Freeman , S.L. ( 2023 ) Prospective case study of critical decision making for horses referred for treatment of colic . The Veterinary Record , 194 , e3615 . Available from: https:// doi. org/ 10. 1002/ vetr. 3615
Busoni , V. , De Busscher , V. , Lopez , D. , Verwilghen , D. & Cassart , D. ( 2011 ) Evaluation of a protocol for fast localised abdominal so- nography of horses (FLASH) admitted for colic . Veterinary Journal , 188 ( 1 ), 77 – 82 . Available from: https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. tvjl. 2010. 02. 017
Cook , V.L. & Hassel , D.M. ( 2014 ) Evaluation of the colic in horses: de- cision for referral . The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Equine Practice , 30 ( 2 ), 383 – 398 , viii. Available from: https:// doi. org/ 10. 1016/j. cveq. 2014. 04. 001
Corrie , S. , Chapman , K. , Schofield , I. & Mair , T.S. ( 2024 ) Preliminary study to evaluate the use of fast abdominal ultrasonography of horses with colic in first opinion ambulatory practice . Equine Veterinary Education , 36 ( 11 ), 571 – 578 . https:// doi. org/ 10. 1111/ eve. 13940
Haardt , H. , Romero , A.E. , Boysen , S.R. , Lohnherr , A. & Tan , J.Y. ( 2022 ) Incidence of superficial abdominal organ identification is similar using high- frequency linear (transrectal) and low- frequency curvi- linear (abdominal) transducers in clinically healthy horses: a pilot study . Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound , 63 ( 3 ), 345 – 352 . Available from: https:// doi. org/ 10. 1111/ vru. 13060
Haardt , H. , Romero , A.E. , Boysen , S.R. & Tan , J.- Y. ( 2024 ) Comparison of transrectal and transabdominal transducers for use in fast localized abdominal sonography of horses presenting with colic . Frontiers in Veterinary Science , 10 , 1307938 . Available from: https:// doi. org/ 10. 3389/ fvets. 2023. 1307938
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