[Comparison of the common carotid arteries of horses and mules by B-mode and Doppler spectral ultrasonography and the relation with body mass]

ABSTRACT Conventional ultrasound and spectral Doppler in the common carotid arteries in horses and mules are considered scarce, different from human medicine. The aim of this study was to compare the common carotid arteries of horses and mules by B-mode ultrasonography and spectral Doppler ultrasonography, as well as to verify the differences of these variables between their genders and the relation with body mass. The following parameters were evaluated: body mass, artery diameter, intima-media thickness (EIM), resistivity index (IR), pulsatility index (IP), systolic velocity (VS), diastolic velocity (VD) and average velocity (VM). Besides the body mass, the other variables were obtained from three regions (cranial, medium and caudal) and analyzed together. The diameters of the common carotid arteries are different between horses and mules, being smaller in horses. The IR, IP, VS and VM differed between horses and mules, being higher in the horses, but the VD was higher in mules. No difference in the variables in B-mode and Doppler between gender were observed in horses, different from mules, in which the diameters, IR and IP values were higher in males and the VS and VM was higher in females. Body mass did not influence B-Mode, both for horses and mules. A significant correlation was observed for Doppler. The common carotid arteries of horses and mules are different by ultrasound scans B-mode and spectral Doppler. Gender does not influence the B-Mode and Doppler variables in horses, but can in mules. The body mass of horses and mules, regardless of gender, is not associated with B-mode variables, but with Doppler variables.

摘要 与人类医学领域不同，针对马和骡颈总动脉开展的常规超声及频谱多普勒检查相关研究较为匮乏。本研究旨在通过B型超声成像（B-mode ultrasonography）与频谱多普勒超声成像技术，对比马与骡的颈总动脉情况，并验证不同性别间上述指标的差异及其与体质量的相关性。本次评估的参数包括：体质量、动脉内径、内膜中层厚度（intima-media thickness, EIM）、阻力指数（resistivity index, IR）、搏动指数（pulsatility index, IP）、收缩期峰值流速（systolic velocity, VS）、舒张末期流速（diastolic velocity, VD）及平均流速（average velocity, VM）。除体质量外，其余指标均取自三个解剖区域（头侧、中段及尾侧）并进行合并分析。马与骡的颈总动脉内径存在差异，马的内径更小。阻力指数（IR）、搏动指数（IP）、收缩期峰值流速（VS）及平均流速（VM）在马与骡间存在显著差异，马的上述指标更高，但骡的舒张末期流速（VD）更高。马的B型超声及多普勒相关指标不存在性别差异，而骡则不同：雄性骡的颈总动脉内径、阻力指数（IR）及搏动指数（IP）更高，雌性骡的收缩期峰值流速（VS）与平均流速（VM）更高。体质量对马和骡的B型超声相关指标均无影响，但多普勒相关指标则与体质量存在显著相关性。马与骡的颈总动脉在B型超声及频谱多普勒成像下存在差异。性别对马的B型超声及多普勒相关指标无影响，但可影响骡的相关指标。无论性别如何，马与骡的体质量均与B型超声相关指标无关联，但与多普勒相关指标存在关联。