Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animals

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Veterinary Clinical Studies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 13310

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Alma Mater Studiorum- Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Interests: small animals cardiovascular imaging; contrast enhanced ultrasonography; thoracic radiography; cardiovascular disease

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Guest Editor
Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020 Padua, Italy
Interests: veterinary cardiology; cardiovascular imaging; echocardiography; cardiac arrhythmia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The theme of this Special Issue of Animals is Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animals. Cardiovascular disease has always been an important field of application for diagnostic imaging in small animal practice. Thoracic radiography was the first technique employed and it still plays a fundamental role in the diagnosis of heart failure of both dogs and cats. Successively, the widespread use of diagnostic ultrasound and, successively, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has greatly enhanced our understanding of cardiac anatomy and function allowing an even greater ability to assess even subtle cardiac dysfunction. More recently, the application of deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) technique to thoracic radiographs seems to offer an important new perspective for the early recognition of cardiac enlargement also in small animals. All studies focused on the different diagnostic procedures (i.e., survey radiography, angiography, ultrasonography, contrast enhancement ultrasonography, echocardiography, CT, MRI and AI) applied to cardiovascular anatomy and diseases of small animals are welcome and will be carefully considered for publication. The purpose of this Special Issue is to collect a group of papers on the topic of Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease to emphasize both the usefulness of consolidated imaging techniques and future solutions due to technological advancement.

Prof. Alessia Diana
Prof. Carlo Guglielmini
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • angiography
  • artificial intelligence (AI)
  • cardiovascular disease
  • computed tomography (CT)
  • contrast enhancement ultrasonography (CEUS)
  • echocardiography
  • magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • small animals
  • survey radiography

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animals
by Alessia Diana and Carlo Guglielmini
Animals 2020, 10(12), 2392; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122392 - 15 Dec 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2131
Abstract
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has always been an important field of application for diagnostic imaging in small animal practices and, vice-versa, diagnostic imaging has greatly expanded the diagnostic capabilities of veterinary clinicians dealing with CVD [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animals)

Research

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10 pages, 1300 KiB  
Article
Performance of Different Echocardiographic Measurements of Left Atrial Size in Dogs by Observers with Different Levels of Experience
by Alexander M. Safian, Giulio Menciotti, Sunshine M. Lahmers, Hyeon Jeong, Alessandra Franchini and Michele Borgarelli
Animals 2022, 12(5), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12050625 - 1 Mar 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3793
Abstract
Assessment of left atrial (LA) sizes in dogs informs clinical staging, risk assessment, treatment decisions, and prognosis. The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of observers with different levels of experience measuring the LA with three different techniques. Echocardiographic [...] Read more.
Assessment of left atrial (LA) sizes in dogs informs clinical staging, risk assessment, treatment decisions, and prognosis. The objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of observers with different levels of experience measuring the LA with three different techniques. Echocardiographic images from 36 dogs with different degrees of left atrial enlargement (LAE) were retrospectively retrieved, anonymized and measured in a blinded fashion by a veterinary student, a first-year cardiology resident, a third-year cardiology resident, and two board-certified veterinary cardiologists. The LA to aortic root ratio (LA:Ao), LA antero-postero diameter indexed to body weight (LAiAPD) and left atrial area were measured. Inter- and intra-observer intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated for all three variables. Bland–Altman plots and accuracy in identification of LAE were calculated for the three least experienced observers using LA:Ao and LAiAPD. Intra- and interobserver ICCs were greater than 0.9 for every variable. The observer with least experience had significant positive bias and a tendency to overestimate larger measurements using LA:Ao, but not using LAiAPD. The accuracy of identification of LAE also increased with the increasing level of experience and was higher for LAiAPD compared to LA:Ao. Combining both methods for identification of LAE, further increased accuracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animals)
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Other

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11 pages, 1993 KiB  
Case Report
Myocardial Injury Complicated by Systolic Dysfunction in a COVID-19-Positive Dog
by Giovanni Romito, Teresa Bertaglia, Luigi Bertaglia, Nicola Decaro, Annamaria Uva, Gianluca Rugna, Ana Moreno, Giacomo Vincifori, Francesco Dondi, Alessia Diana and Mario Cipone
Animals 2021, 11(12), 3506; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123506 - 8 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3713
Abstract
A six-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel was referred with a two-month history of severe exercise intolerance and syncope. Clinical signs had developed during a local wave of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) two weeks after its family members had manifested symptoms of this viral disease [...] Read more.
A six-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel was referred with a two-month history of severe exercise intolerance and syncope. Clinical signs had developed during a local wave of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) two weeks after its family members had manifested symptoms of this viral disease and their positivity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was confirmed. Cardiologic assessment documented myocardial injury complicated by systolic dysfunction. An extensive diagnostic work-up allowed us to rule out common causes of myocardial compromise, both infective and not. Accordingly, serological and molecular tests aimed at diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 infection were subsequently performed, especially in light of the dog’s peculiar history. Results of such tests, interpreted in the light of previous findings and current knowledge from human medicine, supported a presumptive diagnosis of COVID-19-associated myocardial injury, a clinical entity hitherto poorly described in this species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animals)
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9 pages, 2734 KiB  
Case Report
Unusual Presentation of Aortic Valve Infective Endocarditis in a Dog: Aorto-Cavitary Fistula, Tricuspid Valve Endocarditis, and Third-Degree Atrioventricular Block
by Giovanni Romito, Alessia Diana, Antonella Rigillo, Maria Morini and Mario Cipone
Animals 2021, 11(3), 690; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030690 - 4 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2711
Abstract
A 2-year-old Boxer with a history of subaortic stenosis and immunosuppressant therapy developed aortic valve infective endocarditis. On echocardiographic examination with simultaneous electrocardiographic tracing, multiple uncommon periannular complications of the aortic valve endocarditis were found, including aorto-cavitary fistula with diastolic left-to-right shunt, tricuspid [...] Read more.
A 2-year-old Boxer with a history of subaortic stenosis and immunosuppressant therapy developed aortic valve infective endocarditis. On echocardiographic examination with simultaneous electrocardiographic tracing, multiple uncommon periannular complications of the aortic valve endocarditis were found, including aorto-cavitary fistula with diastolic left-to-right shunt, tricuspid valve endocarditis, and third-degree atrioventricular block. Necropsy confirmed the above echocardiographic findings. Although aortic valve endocarditis represents a well-known disease entity in dogs, the dynamic nature of this condition may allow development of complex and uncommon echocardiographic features. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostic Imaging of Cardiovascular Disease in Small Animals)
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