Ultrasonographic quantification of the endometrium echogenicity in canine physiological and pathological conditions using computer-assisted analysis

ARIONI S; BATISTA PR; BLASCO AM; BASCHAR H; TORTORA, M; GOBELLO C; BLANCO PG

Nantes

Simposio; 1st European Symposium on Animal Reproduction; 2023

European Veterinary Society of Small Animal Reproduction

The aim of this study was to ultrasonographically describe and compare endometrial echogenicity and heterogeneity using digital image analysis in normal diestrus bitches and bitches suffering from pyometra and endometritis. Fifteen diestrous, 1-10 years of age, weighing 3-30 kg, nulliparous or primiparous, female dogs were included in this study. The bitches were classified according to histopathological and bacteriological evaluation as: Pyometra group (PYO, n=6), Endometritis group (E, n=5); Normal diestrous group (ND, n=4). Uterine ultrasonographic examinations were performed on each patient using standardized presets (frequency of 14 MHz, depth of 5 cm, gain 92). Images of the endometrium were analyzed with ImageJ image analysis software by selecting 6 regions of interest (ROI, 1 mm2) per image. Within each ROI, endometrial echogenicity and heterogeneity were represented as the middle gray value (MGV) and gray standard deviation (GSD), respectively. MGV and GSD were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey test. MGV showed higher values in PYO than in the other two groups (p