Ultrasonographic appearance of the superficial supramammary lymph nodes in lactating dairy cattle

Abstract

The superficial supramammary lymph nodes of 54 lactating dairy cows were examined ultrasonographically with a 7.5 MHz linear transducer; each node was measured in two planes within 24 hours of recording the milk somatic cell count. In most cows, the nodes were well demarcated from the surrounding tissue. The parenchyma of the nodes ranged from hypoechoic to anechoic, with a central bright hyperechoic area, and a thin hyperechoic line surrounded the nodes. The size of the nodes varied, but their internal architecture remained relatively consistent. Their mean length was 7.4 cm (range 3.5 to 15 cm) and their mean depth was 2.5 cm (range 1.2 to 5.7 cm). They were significantly larger in cows with more lactations (P<0.05), but there were no correlations between their size and either the time calved or the milk somatic cell count. The lymph nodes on sides which were positive in a California milk test were significantly larger than those on sides which were negative (P<0.05).

Is udder ultrasonography a diagnostic tool for subclinical mastitis in sheep?

“…This finding could be attributed to the udder infection. Bradley et al (2001) found significant changes in the internal architecture of supramammary lymph node of cattle with mastitis. The dimensions of superficial inguinal lymph node were higher in infected halves compared with of isolate free halves.…”

“…Furthermore, the significant correlations between the SCC and the ultrasonographic dimensions (length, depth and area) of the lymph node suggest such explanation. In a previous study in cattle (Bradley et al, 2001), the authors reported that the supramammary lymph node with high somatic cell count tended to be higher than those of cows with lower cell counts. In the same study, the authors found no significant correlations between any of the lymph node parameters and the cell counts.…”

“…These observations may be useful for diagnosis or even confirmation of subclinical mastitis in sheep. In a previous study (Bradley et al, 2001); the authors stated that the length and depth of supramammary lymph nodes varied among cows according to the SCC and mastitis histories.…”

“…The lymph node was identified as it had well demarcated echogenic capsule with an echogenic linear structure running longitudinal through the center of the node (Kofler et al, 1998). The length, the depth and the area of the node was measured as reported elsewhere (Bradley et al, 2001). At first the measurements were repeated twice to check for consistency, but as the differences were small (less than 5%), only one measurement was recorded for each ewe.…”

Determination of Subclinical Mastitis in Dairy Cows by Different Methods

“…ise CMT pozitif örneklerden %94'ünün EC bulguları ile paralellik gösterdiği açıkla- Bradley ve ark. 33 , 54 laktasyondaki sütçü ineğin, superficial supramammary lenf yumrusunu ultra sonografik muayenesini 7.5 MHz'lik transducer ile incelemişler ve lenfin boyu ile ve SHS ve CMT ile iliş kisinde pozitif korelasyon bulamazken, yüzeysel ölçü münde CMT ile pozitif korelasyon bulmuşlardır. Lak tasyon sayısına göre gruplandırdığımız çalışmada len fin boyu ile SHS arasında rakamsal olarak pozitif ilişki bulurken, geçmişte mastitis geçiren vakalarda lenf yumrusu büyük olmasına rağmen istatistiksel bir ilişki kurulamadı.…”