The qualitative and quantitative assessment of the renal cortex of the clinically healthy rabbits

Abstract

Qualitative ultrasonographic images in diagnosing renal parenchymal diseases can be inadequate. The relationship between renal cortical echogenicity and parenchymal disease has been demonstrated in people. However, it is difficult to determine diffuse fat vacuoles and the parenchymal diseases at qualitative renal assessment. Disorders of the renal cortex are frequently seen in rabbits. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the echogenicity of the renal cortex in clinically healthy rabbits. Fourty-two clinically normal and with no history of renal disease rabbits were used. The each rabbit was investigated by complete blood count, urinalysis and renal biopsy. Renal ultrasonography was performed with a 6.5 MHz probe. For each image, three equally sized regions of interest was detected within the renal cortex. The mean pixel intensity was determined using an 8-bit grayscale, with 256 colour of grey colours. Qualitative echogenicity was evaluated by two observers. Observer 1 evaluated as an isoechoic (36/42) and hyperechoic (6/42). Observer 2 evaluated as an isoechoic (35/42) and hyperechoic (7/42). Quantitatively, the mean pixel intensities analysed for the renal cortex was 59.2±2.23 (range: 28-91). The result of this study indicates that analysis of digitized renal cortical ultrasonographic images from rabbits using the histogram technique can be used to quantitatively determine echogenicity.