Introduction

No data are available on the echocardiographic reference intervals (RIs) for the main pulmonary artery (MPA) and right pulmonary artery (RPA) dimensions in a large sample of dogs. Therefore, we aimed to describe the echocardiographic RIs of the MPA and RPA dimensions in normal dogs.

Animals, materials, and methods

269 healthy dogs of different breeds, age and body weight (BW) were prospectively enrolled in this multicenter, observational study. The MPA diameter, RPA maximum diameter (RPAmax), and RPA minimum diameter (RPAmin) were measured from the right parasternal short axis view. Prediction intervals (PIs) for MPA, RPAmax and RPAmin were generated using allometric scales. Reference intervals (RI) of MPA indexed to the ascending aorta (MPA/AO), and RPAmax and RPAmin indexed to the aortic annulus (RPAmax/Aod and RPAmin/Aod), were defined.

Results

A positive linear relationship between MPA, RPAmax, RPAmin and BW was evident after logarithmic transformation (R² = 0.859, R² = 0.787 and R² = 0.725, respectively; P<0.0001). According to allometric scales, the PI for the MPA normalized for BW (MPA_N) was between 5.50 and 8.07, the PI for the RPAmax normalized for BW (RPAmax_N) was between 3.23 and 5.62, while the PI for the RPAmin normalized for BW (RPAmin_N) was between 1.62 and 3.30. The median MPA/AO was 0.92 (RI, 0.78–1.01), the median RPAmax/Aod was 0.70 (RI, 0.53–0.98) and the median RPAmin/Aod was 0.40 (RI, 0.29–0.61).

Discussion and conclusions

The reported RIs of the MPA and RPA dimensions in normal dogs could increase the diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic echocardiography in the identification of pulmonary artery enlargement in dogs.

中文翻译：

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主肺动脉和右肺动脉尺寸的超声心动图参考区间：对 269 只健康狗的前瞻性研究

介绍

没有关于大样本狗的主肺动脉 (MPA) 和右肺动脉 (RPA) 尺寸的超声心动图参考区间 (RI) 的数据。因此，我们的目的是描述正常犬 MPA 和 RPA 尺寸的超声心动图 RI。

动物、材料和方法

269 只不同品种、年龄和体重 (BW) 的健康狗前瞻性地参加了这项多中心观察性研究。MPA 直径、RPA 最大直径 (RPAmax) 和 RPA 最小直径 (RPAmin) 是从右侧胸骨旁短轴切面测量的。MPA、RPAmax 和 RPAmin 的预测区间 (PI) 是使用异速生长尺度生成的。定义了以升主动脉为索引的 MPA 参考区间 (RI) (MPA/AO)，以及以主动脉环为索引的 RPAmax 和 RPAmin (RPAmax/Aod 和 RPAmin/Aod)。

结果

对数变换后，MPA、RPAmax、RPAmin 和 BW 之间存在明显的正线性关系（分别为 R ²  = 0.859、R ²  = 0.787 和 R ²  = 0.725；P<0.0001）。根据异速生长尺度，BW 标准化的 MPA (MPA_N) 的 PI 介于 5.50 和 8.07 之间，BW 标准化的 RPAmax (RPAmax_N) 的 PI 介于 3.23 和 5.62 之间，而 BW 标准化的 RPAmin 的 PI (RPAmin_N) ) 介于 1.62 和 3.30 之间。MPA/AO 中位数为 0.92（RI，0.78-1.01），RPAmax/Aod 中位数为 0.70（RI，0.53-0.98），RPAmin/Aod 中位数为 0.40（RI，0.29-0.61）。

讨论和结论

所报告的正常犬 MPA 和 RPA 尺寸的 RI 可以提高经胸超声心动图识别犬肺动脉扩张的诊断准确性。