The correlations between mean echogenicity and laboratory findings of superficial swellings in 50 dairy cows

Abstract

© 2018, Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi. All rights reserved. Ultrasonography, as a non-invasive diagnostic tool, can provide valuable information about the type, nature and duration of certain musculoskeletal inflammatory processes in animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between mean echogenicity (ME) of effusion content and its laboratory finding values. Fifty dairy cows with superficial effusions on their legs were examined in this study. Ultrasound images were analysed by software processing and ME was determined for every case of effusion. Samples of effusion contents were collected and sent to the laboratory. Investigated parameters were: Concentration of total proteins, concentration of glucose, concentration of uric acid, number of leukocytes, percentage of neutrophils, number of erythrocytes, specific weight, viscosity, colour, clarity and Gram stain. High correlation values between ME and concentration of total proteins (R2=0.7313; P<0.001), concentration of uric acid (R2=0.7427; P<0.001), percentage of neutrophils (R2=0.6923; P<0.001) and specific weight (R2=0.6963; P<0.001) showed that these laboratory parameters could have some impact on echogenicity of effusion content.