ABSTRACTThe aim of the study was to prove analogy of the results from ultrasonographic, computed tomographic and post mortem transverse study of the rabbit heart and select mediastinal vessels. Ten sexually mature, healthy New Zealand White rabbits, aged 12 months, with a body weight of 2.8 kg to 3.2 kg were investigated. Two - dimensional transthoracic echocardiography was performed in right and left lateral recumbency. The transducer was placed on the thorax for imaging the heart in standard planes (short and long axis). Transverse computed tomography of the thorax was carried out before and after intravenous contrast administration. The animals were positioned in ventrodorsal recumbency. The post mortem transverse frozen cuts of the thorax were 10 mm thick. By the ultrasonographic study the centrally situated hypoechoic lumen of the ascending aorta was found. The hypoechoic left and right atria (proventricles), parts of the right ventricle and pulmonary ostium with the pulmonary valve were visualized peripherally. The entire heart silhouette was observed via computed tomography. The atrioventricular septum was seen as a hypo attenuating structure. The heart ventricles, atria, ascending and descending aorta, esophagus and trachea were visualized. The four heart cavities and major vessels were marked by the post mortem transverse frozen study. The comparative analysis of the data from the ultrasonographic, computed tomographic and post mortem transverse frozen study of the rabbit heart and its mediastinal vessels showed that the results could be applied in the interpretation and diagnosis of the heart and vascular lesions in this species.Key Words: Ultrasonography, computed tomography, cadaver anatomy, heart, rabbit ÖZETTAVŞANLARDA KALP VE SEÇİLMİŞ MEDIASTINAL DAMARLARIN KARŞILAŞTIRMALI GÖRÜNTÜLEMELİ ANATOMİK ARAŞTIRMASIÇalışmanın amacı, tavşan kalbinin ve seçilmiş mediastinal venaların ultrasonografik, bilgisayarlı tomografik ve post mortem enine araştırma sonuçlarının benzerliğinin ortaya konulmasıdır. 10 adet, 12 aylık yetişkin, vücut ağırlığı 2,8-3,8 kg olan sağlıklı beyaz Yeni Zelanda tavşanı incelenmiştir. İki boyutlu transtorasik ekokardiyografi, sağ ve sola lateral yatırmak suretiyle gerçekleştirilmiştir. Transducer toraksa, standart düzlemde kalbin görüntülenmesi amacıyla yerleştirilmiştir. Toraksın enine bilgisayarlı tomografisi intravenöz kontrast uygulaması öncesi ve sonrasında gerçekleştirilmiştir. Hayvanlar ventrodorsal konumda yatırılmıştır. Toraks, post mortem enine dondurulmuş olarak 10 mm kalınlığında kesilmiştir. Ultrasonografik çalışmayla aort çıkışında, merkezi bir konumda yer alan hipoekoik lümen bulunmuştur. Hypoekoik sol ve sağ atriyumlar (proventriküller), sağ ventrikül ve pulmoner ostium ile pulmoner kapak kısımları periferik olarak görüntülenmiştir. Tüm kalp silüeti bilgisayarlı tomografi ile gözlenmiştir. Atriyoventriküler septum bir hipo azaltıcı yapı olarak görülmüştür. Kalp ventrikülleri, atriumlar, aort çıkışı ve girişi, esophagus ve trachea görüntülenmiştir. Post mortem enine dondurma çalışması ile dört kalp boşluğu ve büyük damarlar işaretlenmiştir. Çalışmada elde edilen veriler, tavşan kalbi ve mediastinal damarlarının ultrasonografik, bilgisayarlı tomografik ve post mortem enine dondurma çalışmasına ait verilerinin karşılaştırmalı analizi sonuçlarının, bu türlerde kalp ve damar lezyonlarının teşhisi ve yorumlanmasında uygulanabilir olduğunu göstermiştir.Anahtar Kelimeler: Ultrasonografi, bilgisayarlı tomografi, kadavra anatomisi, kalp, tavşan

The aim of the study was to prove analogy of the results from ultrasonographic, computed tomographic and post mortem transverse study of the rabbit heart and select mediastinal vessels. Ten sexually mature, healthy New Zealand White rabbits, aged 12 months, with a body weight of 2.8 kg to 3.2 kg were investigated. Two - dimensional transthoracic echocardiography was performed in right and left lateral recumbency. The transducer was placed on the thorax for imaging the heart in standard planes (short and long axis). Transverse computed tomography of the thorax was carried out before and after intravenous contrast administration. The animals were positioned in ventrodorsal recumbency. The post mortem transverse frozen cuts of the thorax were 10 mm thick. By the ultrasonographic study the centrally situated hypoechoic lumen of the ascending aorta was found. The hypoechoic left and right atria (proventricles), parts of the right ventricle and pulmonary ostium with the pulmonary valve were visualized peripherally. The entire heart silhouette was observed via computed tomography. The atrioventricular septum was seen as a hypo attenuating structure. The heart ventricles, atria, ascending and descending aorta, esophagus and trachea were visualized. The four heart cavities and major vessels were marked by the post mortem transverse frozen study. The comparative analysis of the data from the ultrasonographic, computed tomographic and post mortem transverse frozen study of the rabbit heart and its mediastinal vessels showed that the results could be applied in the interpretation and diagnosis of the heart and vascular lesions in this species.