Comparative normal 2D and 3D ultrasonograhy of stomach with advancement of age in dogs

Ultrasonography of the stomach was performed in six apparently healthy mixed mongrel breed pups from 15^th day to 8 month of age. Scanning carried out on 15^th, 30^th, 45th, 60^th day, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th and 8^th month of age. The ultrasound machine used for this study was 3D ultrasound machine (Nemio-XG: Toshiba, Japan) having 4D volumetric transducer. The images were acquired with 3–6 MHz 2D curvilinear transducer and 4.2–6 MHz 4D volumetric curvilinear transducer operated at 3–5 MHz frequency. Ultrasonographically, the lumen of stomach was anechoic, solid food was hyperechoic, semisolid food was hypoechoic and the wall of the stomach was hyperechoic throughout the study. At the 45^th day of age, there was appearance of the gastric folds. At the age of 240^th day fully developed stomach was observed with distinct gastric wall, gastric folds and hyperechoic gastric contents mixed in anechoic lumen of the stomach. In our study mean diameters of stomach such as mean wall thickness was in range of 3.6 ± 0.17 mm-5.63 ± 0.27 mm, transverse diameters were in range of 12.95 ± 0.30mm-39.45 ± 0.47 mm, longitudinal diameter were 12.77 ± 0.14 mm-66.68 ± 1.36 and circumference was in range of 33.52 ± 0.92 mm-120.92 ±1.12 mm.