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RADIOGRAPHIC DIAMETER OF THE COLON IN NORMAL AND CONSTIPATED CATS AND IN CATS WITH MEGACOLON
Author(s) -
TREVAIL TIM,
GUNNMOORE DANIELLE,
CARRERA INÉS,
COURCIER EMILY,
SULLIVAN MARTIN
Publication year - 2011
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.1740-8261.2011.01830.x
Subject(s) - cats , medicine , megacolon , constipation , radiography , reference range , gastroenterology , enema , radiology
Radiographs of 50 cats with no history of gastrointestinal disease were evaluated to establish a normal reference range for radiographic diameter of the feline colon. Thirteen cats with constipation and 26 with megacolon were also evaluated and compared with the normal cats to characterize the accuracy of the reference range and to identify a cutoff to distinguish constipation from megacolon. A ratio of maximal diameter of the colon to L5 length was the most repeatable and accurate measurement. A ratio <1.28 is a strong indicator of a normal colon (sensitivity 96%, specificity 87%). A value >1.48 is a good indicator of megacolon (sensitivity 77%, specificity 85%).