TDK conference 2020

The general anatomy of the dog’s heart is well known, but little information is available on how the individual morphological characteristics related to the body frame. Also, this well-known anatomy is difficult to visualize by conventional methods.

The aim of my research is to map possible correlations between the anatomical and morphological characteristics of the heart and the body size of the dog based CT examinations performed on dogs of different body weights. The resulting 3D models would serve as an educational material and can play an important role in facilitating anatomy education for veterinary students.

In the study, 15 dogs, free of heart and chest diseases, were examined. The CT scans were performed with a Siemens Definition Flash Dual (Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany) with an ECG-guided cardiac examination protocol at the Diagnostic and Oncoradiology Center of Dr. József Baka, Kaposi Mór Teaching Hospital, Somogy County in cooperation with the specialists of Medicopus Nonprofit Ltd.

The resulted DICOM data were processed and reconstructed with the version 4.10.2 of the 3D Slicer program.

In each heart the left and right ventricular papillary muscles (subauricular and subatrial papillary muscles) the coronary arteries and the large vessels exuding from the heart were reconstructed in diastole, and the main morphological features of the heart were also measured (left and right ventricle, aortic and papillary muscle volume).

The mean body weight of the 15 dogs was 11.95± 2.76 kg, and the mean volume of the left ventricle in diastole was 34.81±7.73 cm3 (95% confidence interval: 30.53-39.09). The mean volume of the right ventricle in diastole was 44.17 ± 15.94 cm3 (95% confidence interval:35.34-53.00).

The best rated series of scans were obtained from subject # 96 a male dog, weighing 12.5 kg. Based on this data we created teaching materials such as pictures 3D models animations what can be used in academic education and are available to students online on the department's website as a teaching aid. 3D printed real-life models are feasible using these reconstructions.

Our measurements provide previously missing data for the heart morphological baseline values of dogs in this weight range. The reconstructed and 3D printed anatomical models help the students to understand the anatomy of the heart more thoroughly with a higher resolution and smaller slice thickness than those already available.