ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF UDDER AND TEAT IN DAIRY ANIMALS
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Date
2016
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AAU, Anand
Abstract
The present clinical study was undertaken to record the normal.and abnormal ultrasonographic appearance of udder and teats in dairy animals in and around Anand. A total of 38 bovines (cow-26; and buffalo-12) were examined clinically including normal (n=24) and affected (n=24) udder and teats. Teat obstruction was diagnosed in three cows in the middle to proximal part of the teat and in one buffalo at Furstenberg's rosette using contrast (iopromide) radiography. For the US evaluation of normal teat B-mode and Doppler US was performed by direct contact gel, water bath and stand- off (in selected cases) methods using different frequencies (7,5-18MHz) of linear array transducer in vertical plane. Visualization of teat cistern was superior with contact gel technique and that of distal portion of teat with water bath technique. The teat canal appeared as a thin, bright, white line, bordered on each side by parallel, thick, dark, grey-black bands. Furstenberg's rosette was hypoechoic. Three layers of the teat wall were clearly distinguished -hyperechoic outer layer (skin), hypoechoic middle layer (musculature) and hyperechoic inner layer (mucosa), while the lumen of the teat cistern and the blood vessel in the middle layer of teat wall appeared as an anechoic. The average teat canal length in normal cows and buffaloes was 10.1±0.3 mm and 9.2±1.2mm, teat wall thickness 7.38±1.4 mm and 6.85±1.04 mm and average teat cistern diameter at the middle 12.73±6.8 mm and 15.1±2.3 mm, respectively. Average teat canal length in affected cows was 8.35±0.68 mm, teat wall thickness 8.33±2.91 mm and average teat cistern diameter at the middle ]4.48±2.9 mm. There was significant (p<0.001) difference between normal and affected cow's teat canal length but non-significant difference between teat wall thickness and teat cistern diameter. For the US evaluation of affected teat B-mode US was performed using 7.5 and 10 MHz fi-equericies. US examination of teats was performed in eight cows with mastitis in which there was presence of partial teat obstruction and complete obstruction. In four cases of mastitis there was also presence of thickened teat wall, teat cistern contained hypoechoic fluid suspended with hyperechoic flakes and caseated materials with disappearance of teat canal and Furstenberg. In six animals (cow-5 and buffalo-1) US examination of affected teat with udder fibrosis was done. Teats with udder fibrosis showed hypo to hyperechoic fibrotic changes in teat cistern with the presence of anechoic pus and thickened teat wall. In nine cases with teat obstruction (cow-6 and buffalo-3) there was presence of upper and distal teat stenosis, while in cases of membranous teat obstruction hyperechoic bands across the teat lumen were seen. For the US evaluation of normal udder B-mode US was performed by direct contact gel method using 7.5, 10 and 12 MHz frequencies by linear array transducer. Parenchyma of mammary glands appeared as a homogenous structure, blood vessels, lobes, and alveoli appeared as the anechoic structure. The supramammary lymph nodes were easily identified and appeared as an oval-shaped structure with thin echogenic capsule. B-mode US of affected udder was performed using 7.5 and 10 MHz frequencies. us examination of udder was performed in eight cows with mastitis in which mill< alveoh and gland cistern contained hypoechoic fluid with suspended hyperechoic flakes and caseated materials with loss of normal echo pattern of udder parenchyma. US examination was performed in five each of cows and buffaloes with udder fibrosis and in two cows with gangrenous mastitis. Fibrosis appeared as more hyperechoic structure and in gangrenous mastitis there was presence of large hypo to anechoic areas indicating more debris from inflammatory exudates, while few areas were hyperechoic indicating fibrosis. Para udder abscesses appeared with hypoechoic capsule and non homogenous contents. In lymph nodes there was presence of focal hyperechoic area within the hypoechoic parenchyma which was also observed in cases of udder fibrosis. In a case of udder tumor a large hypoechoic area with extensive blood supply was seen in cow, and a wart like growth on the caudal aspect of the udder in a buffalo appeared as hypoechoic non homogenous structure. US of udder and teats is a safe and noninvasive procedure which indicates high suitability for visualization of teat and udder internal architecture and its morphology.
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VETERINARY SURGERY AND RADIOLOGY, A STUDY