Introduction to
Reproductive Ultrasonography
In Domestic Animals
SLOGANS IN ANIMAL
REPRODUCTION
• No Production with out Reproduction
• Bull is half the herd
• Calf a year (from a cow to remain profitable)
• Nutrition is a necessity whereas reproduction is a luxury
Gray-scale, real-time
ultrasonography is the most
profound technological advance
in the field of animal research
and clinical reproduction since
the introduction of transrectal
palpation and radioimmunoassay
….
O.J. GINTHER, 1986
ECHO… ECHO… ECHO… ECHO…
Ultrasound has been around
a long, long time…..
HISTORY
Techniques developed in animal reproduction since last
hundred years are:
• Rectal palpation 1920
• Hormone assay 1960’s
• Ultrasound 1980’s
HISTORY
In human practice ultrasound is being
used since 1970’s
In veterinary practice since 1980’s; began
due to Equine Twinning
Later in bovine, canine etc., sheep, other
species (1985)
HISTORY & STATUS OF VETERINARY
ULTRASOUND IN PAKISTAN
Peshawar (VRI, AUP) Clinical Tandojam (SAU),
Faisalabad (UAF), Teaching Research
Mona (RD) PD BRI Pattoki,
Islamabad (NARC), Research Research
Lahore (UVAS) Sarsabz (Nestle),
Ravi Campus (UVAS) Clinical
Small Animal Practices
Research/Teaching/Clinical/Extension
Jhang Campus (UVAS), Teaching
Corporate dairy Farms
PMAS-AAUR, Teaching Private Practitioners Large
IUB Bahawalpur, Teaching Livestock Dept’s (Sindh,
BZU Multan, KPK, Punjab)
AJK
What Is "Sound" And "Ultrasound "?
Sound is a vibration that is transmitted in a medium
(e.g. air)
Sound specifically refers to what the human ear can
hear
Human ear cannot hear above 20,000 Hz.
Frequencies above 20,000 Hz are called
“ultrasound”
WHAT IS ULTRASOUND?
High frequency, inaudible sound waves of
1-10 MHz
• Audible frequency is 20-20,000 Hz
Reflection of ultrasound occurs between
substances of different acoustic impedance
• Product of velocity of sound and density of
substance
Ultrasound waves unable to pass through
vacuum and transmission in air is poor
PRINCIPLE OF
ULTRASOUND
Electricity Transducer U/S waves
Tissue
Scan converter Transducer
Cathode tube Image of Object
WAVELENGTH, FREQUENCY,
RESOLUTION
HOW IS INTERPRETATION
DONE?
Anechoic Black (Follicle,
Amniotic vesicle)
Hypoechoic Grey (CL)
Hyperechoic White (Bones)
WAVE LENGTH
Lower frequency = Longer wavelength
Longer wavelength = less resolution
Less resolution = less detail
Longer wavelength = more penetration
More penetration = view deeper objects
Rectal exams 5 mgHz transducer
Transabdominal 3 mgHz transducer
ULTRASOUND WAVE TRANSMISSION
WHY JELL IS NECESSARY???
WHAT ARE DIFFERENT TYPES
OF ULTRASOUND?
A mode: (Amplitude) One dimensional
B mode: (Brightness) Two dimensional
Real time B mode: Motion can be
Doppler: (detect sound)
3D (Three Dimensional Image)
4D (Same as 3D - Real Time)
B-MODE ULTRASOUND
DOPPLER ULTRASOUND
Moving objects are scanned
Objects moving away produce lower
frequency
Objects moving toward the
transducer produce higher frequency
Used to measure blood flow in heart
and arteries
DOPPLER ULTRASOUND
B-Mode and Doppler
B-Mode Doppler
Structure/ Anatomy Function/ Physiological
Black and White Image Color Image
3-D ULTRASOUND
Several two-dimensional images
are acquired by moving the probes
across the body surface or rotating
inserted probes
The two-dimensional scans are
then combined by specialized
computer software to form 3D
images
3-D ULTRASOUND (EQUINE)
3D ULTRASOUND (HUMAN)
PARTS OF A
MACHINE/OTHER
FUNCTIONS
Video Monitor
Transducers
• Measurement of the images
• Saving the images and transfer to
the computer
VIDEO MONITOR
B mode real time mostly used in veterinary practice
Cathode ray tube displays images on high resolution video
monitor
TRANSDUCERS / PROBE
Piezoelectric material, Lead Zirconate
Titanium
Frequency of 1 to 10 MHz is used
Linear transducers
64-256 no of crystals
Epoxy resin tungsten, decreases duration
but increases resolution
Triggered sequentially along the length or
in segments
Sealed to avoid moisture
TYPES/FREQUENCY
OF TRANSDUCERS
Transrectal
Transcutaneous
TRANSRECTAL
TRANSDUCER
7.5 MHz------- Early pregnancy diagnosis
5 MHz -------- Pregnancy diagnosis after 40 days
3.5 MHz--------Late pregnancy diagnosis; early pregnancy
diagnosis
TRANSDUCERS
Crystals vibrate at high frequency producing
sound waves
The sound waves are transmitted and received
by the transducer
The transducer is identified by the crystal array.
The array is the way in which the crystals are
arranged
• Linear array
• Convex array
• Sector scanner
TRANSDUCERS
Piezoelectric material, Lead Zirconate Titanium
Frequency of 1 to 10 MHz is used
Linear transducers
64-256 no of crystals
Epoxy resin tungsten, decreases duration but
increases resolution
Triggered sequentially along the length or in
segments
Sealed to avoid moisture
LINEAR ARRAY
CONVEX ARRAY
SOUND WAVE REFLECTION
Amount of
appearance
Substance wave
on screen
reflected
Water None black
Soft tissue Some grey
Bone All White
Metal All White
Air All White
PIE DATA, ALOKA, HONDA, ESOATE
HOW ARE IMAGES
GENERATED?
Image generated through scan converter
Each echo position is interpreted as a dot on the screen
Each dot is related to amplitude i.e. grey scale display
Live (real time) actually not live rather constantly updated @20-60
frames per second
IMPLICATIONS
Pregnancy Diagnosis
Diagnosis of Cysts and Uterine Infections
Ovum Pick Up/Embryo Transfer
Diagnosis of Others Clinical Conditions e.g.,
Urinary Calculi
Better Reproductive Management
Research
TECHNIQUE
Good restrain required
It is non invasive examination
Evacuate rectum
Lubrication of the transducer with gel
Transducer face must be pressed firmly on mucosa
TECHNIQUE
Clean feaces using finger without removing the hand out of
the rectum
Bladder if full----------------Black image
Vagina, cervix, uterus seen on longitudinal axis
Horns; seen as cross section or oblique view
NORMAL ULTRASOUND
ANATOMY
Ovary
• Mix of hyper and hypo echoic signals
• Difference can be made between small inactive and large
active ovaries.
C.L
• Different from ovarian stroma
• Hypo echoic relative to the ovarian stroma
• Undefined border
• Vary according to the stage of pregnancy and development
• C.L of pregnancy usually have the cavity in it, appears
anechoic
Follicles
• Waves of follicles can be followed for their development
and regression.
• 2mm follicles are considered to be smallest one; anechoic
structures as they grow
• Shape: can be Oval, asymmetrical, round.
Ovulation
• Appearance of large follicle and then disappearance
• Timing of the ovulation can be determined as size
increases
• Ovulation seen as pear shaped structure with pointing
• 4 min period for evacuation of fluid from follicle
Ovarian Blood Vessels
• Appear as small, medium follicles 2-5 mm in size
• Altering the plane of scanning they move and their shape
changes.
• They becomes elongated from oval or rounded shape
Uterine Horn
• Scan both cross and longitudinal section
• Outlined by dark ring which is a vascular coat
• Changes due to physiological states
• Cruncles on the endometrial size
Uterine Body
• Longitudinal axis view; rotate the probe in clockwise and anti clock
wise direction to see the bifurcation
Cervix
• Hyper echoic image
• External os can be seen
Vagina
• Hyper echoic; ovoid; fluid filled
Urinary bladder
• Anechoic
• Confusion with pregnancy
PREGNANCY
DIAGNOSIS
Early Pregnancy
Late Pregnancy
EARLY PREAGNANCY
Days Structures Seen
17-19 C.L and Little anechoic lumen in
ipsilateral horn
22-24 Anechoic lumen increases
Echogenic streaks
Heart beat
Days Structures Seen
30 More pronounced changes present
Membranes
35 Uterine caruncles
CRL
LATE PREGNANCY
Difficult and confusing, due to increase fetal size
SEXING OF THE
FETUS
Day 49-52 of gestation
Considerable skill is required
7.5MHz (cross and dorsal plane)
Genital tubercle is the target structure from
which penis and clitoris is formed
At day 42 structure begin to migrate from
perineum to Anus
In female, migration does not occur genital
tubercle is located caudal to pelvic limbs
ARTIFACTS
Refraction (bending of light)
Reverberations (prolongation of sound wave)
Shadowing
Follicular and Luteal cyst
OVARY
OVARY
CORPUS LUTEUM
CORPUS LUTEUM
FOLLICLE
UTERINE HORN
FOLLICULAR CYST
FOLLICULAR CYST
LUTEAL CYST
CR Length
Fetal age = 2.5x (CRL cm + 21) = age (days)
Fetal age = √2 X CRL inches = age (months)
Ovulation
