title: Evaluation of a ferret-specific formula for determining body surface area to improve chemotherapeutic dosing.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To use CT-derived measurements to create a ferret-specific formula for body surface area (BSA) to improve chemotherapeutic dosing.
  
  
  METHODS
  25 adult ferrets (19 live and 6 cadavers).
  
  
  METHODS
  Live subjects were weighed, and body measurements were obtained by each of 3 observers while ferrets were awake and anesthetized. Computed tomography was performed, and a 3-D surface model was constructed with open-source imaging software, from which BSA was estimated. The CT-derived values were compared with BSA calculated on the basis of the traditional tape method for 6 cadavers. To further validate CT analysis software, 11 geometric shapes were scanned and their CT-derived values compared with those calculated directly via geometric formulas. Agreement between methods of surface area estimation was assessed with linear regression. Ferret-specific formulas for BSA were determined with nonlinear regression models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repeatability among the 3 observers was good for all measurements, but some measurements differed significantly between awake and anesthetized ferrets. Excellent agreement was found between measured versus CT-derived surface area of shapes, traditional tape- versus CT-derived BSA of ferret cadavers, and CT-derived BSA of cadavers with and without monitoring equipment. All surface area formulas performed relatively similarly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT-derived BSA measurements of ferrets obtained via open-source imaging software were reliable. On the basis of study results, the recommended formula for BSA in ferrets would be 9.94 × (body weight)(2/3); however, this represented a relatively minor difference from the feline-derived formula currently used by most practitioners and would result in little practical change in drug doses.
authors: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.
authors: Krista L
authors: KL
authors: Jones
authors: L Abbigail
authors: LA
authors: Granger
authors: Michael T
authors: MT
authors: Kearney
authors: Anderson F
authors: AF
authors: da Cunha
authors: Daniel C
authors: DC
authors: Cutler
authors: Meredith E
authors: ME
authors: Shapiro
authors: Thomas N
authors: TN
authors: Tully
authors: Keijiro
authors: K
authors: Shiomitsu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001830:Body Surface Area; D005260:Female; D005289:Ferrets; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013045:Species Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents