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TWO‐DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC ANATOMY OF THE SNAKE HEART ( PYTHON MOLURUS BIVITTATUS )
Author(s) -
Snyder Patti S.,
Shaw Neil G.,
Heard Darryl J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
veterinary radiology and ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.541
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1740-8261
pISSN - 1058-8183
DOI - 10.1111/j.1740-8261.1999.tb01840.x
Subject(s) - anatomy , medicine , ventricle , foregut , pulmonary artery , cardiology
Two‐dimensional echocardiography was performed on Burmese pythons ( Python molurus bivittutus ) to determine an optimal echocardiographic imaging technique for snakes and to describe the echocardiographic anatomy of the snake heart. Five snakes immobilized with tiletamine/zolazepam and maintained on isoflurane in oxygen were imaged in dorsal recumbency. The portion of the snake's body containing the heart was submerged in warm water to reduce the artifact created by air trapped between and under the scales. Imaging in sagittal planes demonstrated the caudal vena cava, sinus venous valve, right atrium, various portions of the ventricle, horizontal septum, the left aortic arch, and pulmonary artery. Transverse imaging depicted the spatial relationship of the left and right aortic arches and pulmonary artery and the horizontal septum. Basic knowledge of cardiac blood flow in the reptile was necessary to understand the echocardiographic anatomy.