34th Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives:

Injury to the skeletal structures and soft tissues of the pelvis is common in cattle. The size of the bovine lumbo-sacral-pelvic unit, as well as the substantial amount of enveloping soft tissue, poses a substantial challenge for diagnostic imaging. This study fills a crucial gap in the existing literature by translating in-depth anatomical analysis of the of the lumbo-sacral-pelvic unit in healthy adult cattle to the ultrasonographic appearance.

Methods:

Longitudinal and transverse sections and gross dissection of the lumbo-sacral-pelvic unit from three Jersey cows free from the musculoskeletal disorders allowed identification of landmarks for transcutaneous and transrectal ultrasonographic assessment and development of reference anatomical images. Computed tomography of two cadaveric pelvises was carried out to describe the topographic relationship with soft issues and alignment of pelvic components. Transcutaneous and transrectal ultrasonographic examination of two live Jersey cows of similar weight confirmed applicability of the developed protocol.

Results:

The transcutaneous ultrasonographic procedure allowed visualisation of the caudal lumbar articular process joints, pelvis and the coxo-femoral joints. The transrectal technique was suitable for assessment of the intervertebral discs between the lumbar vertebrae, lumbar vertebral bodies, ventral sacrum and ventral aspect of the lumbosacral and sacroiliac junctions. Distribution of the main arteries and nerves in the pelvic region was described. A set of reference images were developed.

Conclusions:

Ultrasonography is a modality readily available to most veterinary practitioners. The outlined protocol for transcutaneous and transrectal ultrasonographic imaging of the bovine lumbo-sacral-pelvic unit has the potential to significantly advance our understanding and diagnosis of pelvic pathologies in cows.