Objective: The cardiac anatomy in tortoises depicted on B-mode and color-Doppler should be better differentiated by additional contrast-echocardiography.
Material and methods: An intravenous contrast agent (INN-sulphur hexafluoride [SonoVue®]) was injected in four tortoises (three Testudo hermanni, one Agrionemys horsfieldii), via the coccygeal vein, with parallel B-mode echocardiographic examination. The results of the contrast-enhanced echocardiography were compared with the contrast-free B-mode recordings and color-Doppler ultrasound.
Results: The use of SonoVue® enabled clearer distinction of the cardiac structures, differentiation of the arising major arteries, identification of wash-out-shunts, and visualization of blood flow patterns throughout the tortoise heart.
Conclusion and clinical relevance: This study enables the accurate depiction and differentiation of cardiac anatomy in tortoises through the use of a combination of B-mode, color-Doppler and contrast-echocardiography. Basic knowledge of blood flow in the reptile heart is essential to understand echocardiographic anatomy. Blood-flow-patterns and anatomy of the tortoise heart as found in this study will help to establish a basis for further echocardiographic examinations of these animals.
Keywords: Reptile; contrast-enhanced ultrasound; heart; tortoise; ultrasonography.