Radiographic cardiac indices for healthy New Zealand white rabbits: A reference interval study based on echocardiography

Abstract

This research was intended to identify reference intervals for the radiographic cardiac indices (vertebral heart scale (VHS), radiographic left atrial dimension (RLAD), and vertebral left atrial size (VLAS)) of 58 healthy, adult New Zealand white rabbits based on echocardiography. VHS, VLAS, and RLAD measurements were taken from contrast right lateral (R) and ventrodorsal (VD) thoracic radiographs. The correlations between these radiographic cardiac indices and echocardiographic parameters were then evaluated. The mean values with a reference interval were 7.94±0.31 vertebrae (v) (7.2-8.6 v) for R-VHS and 8.67±0.33 v (7.8-9.2 v) for VD-VHS. The median values with a reference interval were 1.5 v (1-2 v) for VLAS and 1 v (0.7-1.4 v) for RLAD. Body weight and gender had no effect on any radiographic cardiac indices. A positive correlation was found between all radiographic indices obtained from R contrast radiographs and echocardiographic parameters (r≥0.421, P