Ultrasonographic measurements of the caudal vena cava (CVC) and aorta (Ao) are known as reliable tools to assess intravascular volume status in humans. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of obtaining ultrasonographical measurements of CVC and Ao in two different views, assess intra- and interobserver variability, and study the effect of sex, age, body weight, and breed on measurements in healthy calves. The diameter and area of CVC and Ao were measured by a single investigator in two anatomic sites (subxiphoid and paralumbar window) in 48 calves aged less than 60 days and then repeated 2.5 months after the first assessment. For intra- and interobserver variability assessment, CVC and Ao measurements were repeated by three observers on five randomly selected calves. CVC and Ao measurements were easily obtained in PV and more difficult to obtain in SV. CVC and Ao area in PV showed high repeatability and reproducibility. A positive correlation was highlighted between age and CVC and Ao measurements in both sites. In conclusion, CVC size assessment by point of care ultrasound can be easily performed at a paralumbar site in calves under 4 months of age and could be used to assess intravascular volume status.

Little is known about thyroid diseases in ruminants, probably due to the lack of diagnosis techniques developed in this species. However, thyroid ultrasound (TU) is widely used in human and in companion animal’s medicine. It is a cheap and non-invasive examination, which allows for the identification of thyroid structures or diffuse diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of TU in five calves and five cows through inter- and intra-observer repeatability. The size of the thyroid gland was measured from three views: left sagittal, right sagittal and transverse; nine measurements per view. The intra-observer coefficient was calculated for each observer. For the inter-observer, the first observer was a board-certified imagist (European College of Veterinary Diagnostic Imaging diplomate), the second was a board-certified specialist in bovine and herd management (European College of Bovine Health Managementdiplomate) and the third was an in-trained veterinarian for the TU. They each scanned the thyroid gland successively, following the same method. The intra-observer variabilities for observers 1, 2 and 3 were 8.22%, 5.53%, 5.38%, and 7.18%, 8.65% and 6.36%, respectively, for calves and cows. The inter-observer variability for calves was 10.4% and for cows, 11.8%. This study confirms the feasibility of repeatable intra- and inter-observer TU-estimated measurements in cattle.

Standing low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used for subchondral bone (SCB) assessment of the equine proximal phalanx, but radiography remains the most common first-line imaging modality, and no direct comparison between the two is available for SCB sclerosis and resorption. Fifty-four fetlocks from 52 horses referred for standing MRI were retrospectively assessed at the medial glenoid, sagittal groove and lateral glenoid, using an ordinal scale for sclerosis and a four-type nominal classification for resorption. Seven readers of varied clinical backgrounds performed independent radiographic readings; two board-certified radiologists then established a consensus reading, blinded to MRI. Agreement was quantified with Gwet’s agreement coefficients (inter-reader), weighted and unweighted Cohen’s κ (reader-MRI) and symmetric metrics (consensus-MRI). Inter-reader agreement for sclerosis was location-dependent (Gwet’s agreement coefficient = 0.27–0.73, lowest medially) and substantial-to-almost-perfect for resorption (Gwet’s agreement coefficient ≥ 0.72). The radiographic consensus aligned closely with MRI at the sagittal groove but underestimated marked sclerosis medially and over-called it laterally; fracture-type resorption was reliably detected at the sagittal groove but misclassified medially. Radiography can be relied upon for sagittal groove lesions, but complementary MRI is warranted medially when resorption or clinical suspicion of fracture is present, and to confirm radiographic positive calls laterally.