title: Diagnostic accuracy of the vertebral heart score and other radiographic indices in the detection of cardiac enlargement in cats with different cardiac disorders.
abstract: A retrospective search was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the vertebral heart score (VHS) and other related radiographic indices in the detection of cardiac enlargement associated with different cardiac disorders in the cat. One hundred and five cats with a complete echocardiographic examination and radiographic examination of the thorax with at least two orthogonal views were enrolled. Eighty-three cats had different cardiac disorders, 72 with left-sided cardiac disorders (LSCD) and 11 with right-sided cardiac disorders; 22 cats were free of cardiovascular abnormalities. Measurements of VHS and cardiac long and short axes on lateral (L) and dorsoventral or ventrodorsal radiographs were obtained. Receiver operating characteristic curves were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of each radiographic index in differentiating between cats with cardiac disorders or cats with LSCD and cats without cardiac abnormalities and, among cats with LSCD, between those with no or mild left atrial enlargement (LAE) or those with moderate-to-severe LAE and healthy cats. The L-VHS at the cut-off of 7.9 had high diagnostic accuracy in distinguishing cats with LSCD and moderate-to-severe LAE from healthy cats, but all the other radiographic indices were moderately accurate in distinguishing between cats with overall cardiac disorders or LSCD, either with no or mild LAE and moderate-to-severe LAE, and healthy cats. The considered radiographic indices were also moderately accurate in predicting different degrees of LAE in cats with LSCD. Radiographic indices are reasonably specific, but less sensitive predictors of cardiac enlargement in cats with heart disorders.
authors: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy carlo.guglielmini@unipd.it.
authors: Carlo
authors: C
authors: Guglielmini
authors: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Baron Toaldo
authors: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Poser
authors: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Menciotti
authors: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Cipone
authors: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Alessia
authors: A
authors: Cordella
authors: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Contiero
authors: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Alessia
authors: A
authors: Diana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012372:ROC Curve; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity