Effects of animal position and number of repeated measurements on selected two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiographic variables in healthy dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of positioning and number of repeated measurements on intra- and interobserver variability of echocardiographic measurements in dogs.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
4 healthy dogs.


METHODS
Each observer performed 24 examinations, separately assessing each dog 6 nonconsecutive times (3 times with the dog in lateral recumbency and 3 with the dog in a standing position). Variables evaluated included M-mode measurements of left ventricular end-diastolic and left ventricular end-systolic diameters, left ventricular free-wall thickness in diastole and systole, interventricular septal thickness in diastole and systole, left ventricular shortening fraction, and 2-dimensional measurements of the left atrial diameter-to-aortic diameter ratio.


RESULTS
All coefficients of variation (range, 3.4% to 26.6%) were similar between operators and positions and were < 15% for 27 of 32 values. For both operators, repeatability of the measurements was better for left ventricular end-systolic diameter, left ventricular free-wall thickness in diastole, left ventricular free-wall thickness in systole, and the left atrial diameter-to-aortic diameter in the standing position, and similar for both positions for shortening fraction and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. No effect of cardiac cycle was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Within-day variability of conventional echocardiography performed with the dog in the standing position was at least as good as that obtained with the dog in lateral recumbency for most measured variables. Single measurements of each variable may be sufficient for trained observers examining dogs that do not have an arrhythmia. The standing position should be used, particularly for stressed or dyspneic dogs.
Chetboul
Valerie
V
Unité de Cardiologie, and INSERM U660, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Maisons-Alfort cedex, France.
Tidholm
Anna
A
Nicolle
Audrey
A
Sampedrano
Carolina Carlos
CC
Gouni
Vassiliki
V
Pouchelon
Jean-Louis
JL
Lefebvre
Herve P
HP
Concordet
Didier
D
D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values