Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and it’s time for Vet Image Solutions to discuss all matters of the heart…well, at least in a style suitable for veterinary ultrasound! It should come as no surprise to regular visitors to the site that ultrasound imaging has a whole range of applications. One of these is in the visualisation of the structures of the heart and in the detection of any potential heart problems, including heart disease. A heart ultrasound scan is more commonly known as an echocardiogram, which can be carried out on both humans and animals. As has been discussed in previous articles, ultrasound imaging has the advantage of being a non-invasive procedure, meaning that a number of ‘heart parameters’ can be visualised with minimal distress to the patient.

An echocardiogram can be used to examine heart function including the ‘pumping action’ of this organ. It is a well-known fact that the primary function of the heart is to pump blood and therefore provide oxygen to the body. An ultrasound has the ability to check whether or not there are any variations in this pumping action which may flag up any potential heart-related problems. In addition, ultrasound imaging can also be used to assess the function of heart valves and can detect if the valve structure has changed, perhaps due to infection. Ultrasound imaging can also detect the presence of blood clots and in helping to diagnose heart failure. Finally, as heartbeats can also be detected using ultrasound imaging, the ability to detect a heartbeat is particularly useful in cases of pregnancy. It is easy to appreciate that confirming the presence of a foetal heartbeat can be reassuring for the breeder/farmer/veterinarian in question. To see a visual example of this, please watch the video of a Draminski iScan detecting the heartbeat during cow pregnancy at 50 days of gestation by clicking here.

Nevertheless, echocardiography cannot be discussed without mentioning ‘B-mode’ (which returns the image of the organ/structure being investigated) and ‘M-mode’ (which is able to show movement of a component of the heart such as the valves). The M-mode is a particularly important tool in veterinary ultrasound, with the returned image being assessed by vets, allowing them to diagnose any problems that may be present such as with heart valve movement.

Here at Vet Image Solutions, we stock a number of veterinary ultrasound machines suitable for cardiac work. As well as the Draminski iScan for horses and cattle, the SonoScape S6vBW with Doppler is suitable for cardiac work when used with the multifrequency microconvex probe, whilst the EMP-820 PlusVet has an ‘M-mode’ feature specific for cardiac work. For more information about any of these scanners, please do not hesitate to contact us. And so to finish, when it comes to matters of the heart, don’t forget about veterinary ultrasound!