Abdominale Sonographie bei der Ratte (Rattus norvegicus f. domestica)

In this study ultrasonic examinations in rats were performed to
develop a standardized examination technique for the sonographic
evaluation of the abdominal organs and the gravidity of the rat. 25
healthy rats in the age between 0.5 and 1.5 years were
sonographically examined with a 15 MHz-Transducer. Comparing with
the already established sonography in the dog and cat the optimal
technique for imaging the organs especially in the rat were
developed and the representativity of the different organ planes
were evaluated. The emphasis was led on the imaging of normal
anatomic and physiologic conditions to get a base for the
evaluation of pathologic processes. In exclusion of the pancreas
all of the abdominal organs could have been detected and the
optimal transducerpositions and standard planes for the different
organs were developed. To perform sagittal planes the transducer
was placed dorsolateral on the abdominal wall, a transducer
position that was never mentioned in literature before. This lead
to a markable improved imaging of the kidney, adrenal gland and
spleen. Three female rats were examined for gravidity control.
Despite the more aggressive behaviour of the pregnant rats an
ultrasonographic examination could have been performed without
problems and without stressing the rats to much. Good parameters
for the determination of the gestation day were the visibleness of
the beating heart, of the development of the extremities and of the
ossification grade of the fetal skeleton. The sonography of the rat
turned out to be a practicable and diagnostical worthy tool for the
veterinary clinic as well as for the use in animal-experimental
research.