Echocardiographic Assessment in Canine Cardiology
Summary
Echocardiography is the primary imaging modality for evaluating canine cardiac structure and function in both health and disease. It encompasses a range of techniques, including M-mode for linear measurements, two-dimensional (2D) imaging for chamber and wall morphology, Doppler modalities for quantifying blood-flow velocities, and advanced approaches such as speckle-tracking for detailed myocardial deformation analysis. Standardisation of measurement protocols and development of allometrically scaled reference intervals have improved diagnostic accuracy across diverse breeds and sizes. Echocardiographic assessment plays a vital role in detecting and grading valvular pathologies, assessing systolic and diastolic function, estimating pulmonary pressures, and monitoring disease progression and response to therapy. Its non-invasive nature and real-time capability render it indispensable for the management of prevalent conditions such as myxomatous mitral valve disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, congenital anomalies and obesity-mediated cardiac remodelling.
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Echocardiographic Assessment in Canine Cardiology publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in echocardiographic assessment in canine cardiology across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
M-mode echocardiography: Single-dimensional ultrasound mode providing high temporal resolution measurements of cardiac structures.
Doppler echocardiography: Ultrasound technique that quantifies blood-flow velocities and pressure gradients through cardiac valves and vessels.
Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE): Advanced imaging method analysing myocardial deformation (strain) to assess regional and global ventricular function.
Reference interval: Range of normal values for echocardiographic parameters, often adjusted for body weight or breed using allometric scaling.
Diastolic dysfunction: Impairment of ventricular relaxation or increased stiffness leading to abnormal filling patterns.
References
- Left ventricular M‐mode prediction intervals in 7651 dogs: Population‐wide and selected breed‐specific values. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (2020).
- Reference ranges for standard-echocardiography in pugs and impact of clinical severity of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) on echocardiographic parameters. BMC Veterinary Research (2022).
- The effect of obesity and subsequent weight reduction on cardiac structure and function in dogs. BMC Veterinary Research (2022).
- Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function in Healthy Retrievers Using Standard and 2D Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography. Veterinary Sciences (2022).
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