Ultrasonography in Veterinary Medicine
Systematic Ultrasound Imaging and Interpretation in Veterinary Diagnostic Medicine · Also known as: ultrasound examination, sonography, B-mode imaging
Ultrasonography is a diagnostic imaging method using high-frequency sound waves to create real-time images of internal structures. Adapted from human medical ultrasound beginning in the 1960s-1970s, veterinary ultrasonography is now essential for soft tissue imaging, particularly for abdominal, cardiac, and thoracic assessment. Modern portable ultrasound units enable point-of-care evaluation, and Doppler techniques allow assessment of blood flow and cardiac function.
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When to use it
Perform ultrasonography for soft tissue assessment when radiography is non-diagnostic or to avoid radiation exposure, for evaluation of acute abdominal pain, to assess abdominal free fluid and characterize it (blood, urine, bile, pus), for cardiac evaluation and detection of heart disease, for focused assessment of specific organs, and as a rapid point-of-care tool in emergency medicine. Essential for obstetrics, detailed organ assessment, and fluid-guided procedures such as aspiration or biopsy.
Strengths & limitations
- Excellent soft tissue contrast superior to radiography; detects inflammation, fluid, and early organ changes
- Real-time imaging enables dynamic assessment and guided procedures; can visualize blood flow with Doppler
- No ionizing radiation; safe for pregnant animals and repeated examinations
- Portable equipment allows bedside point-of-care assessment in emergency and critical care settings
- Relatively inexpensive compared to advanced modalities; high utility across diverse clinical questions
- Limited field of view; cannot assess bony structures or large anatomical regions efficiently
- Operator-dependent; image quality and interpretation reliability depend heavily on training and experience
- Air and bone block ultrasound; areas under bone, lung fields, or intestinal gas cannot be visualized
- Difficulty in obese animals; increased skin-to-organ distance attenuates ultrasound and degrades image quality
- Artifact and shadowing can mimic or obscure pathology; requires knowledge of ultrasound physics to recognize pitfalls
Frequently asked
When should I use ultrasound versus radiography for abdominal imaging?
Use radiography first to assess overall anatomy, air-fluid levels, and bone; ultrasound is superior for soft tissue detail, free fluid assessment, and organ pathology. Often both are complementary; choose based on clinical question and urgency.
What does 'echogenic' mean, and how do I compare echogenicity between organs?
Echogenic refers to brightness on ultrasound; more echogenic structures appear whiter. Compare organs to reference structures (e.g., normal liver compared to spleen, kidney to renal fat); relative differences help identify pathology.
How do I distinguish normal variation from pathology on ultrasound?
Learn breed-specific and age-specific normal variations, scan multiple animals to build pattern recognition, compare to bilateral structures when possible, and integrate ultrasound findings with clinical signs and laboratory results.
Can I perform ultrasound in animals with a lot of abdominal hair or obesity?
Hair must be clipped; ultrasound gel cannot reach skin through hair. Obesity increases distance to organs; lower frequencies and longer transducers help. Some patients may be uninterpretable; acknowledge limitations in the report.
Sources
- Mattoon, J. S., Selberg, R. B. (2015). Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation. In D. E. Thrall (Ed.), Textbook of Veterinary Diagnostic Radiology (7th ed., pp. 120-160). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier. link ↗
- Lisciandro, G. R., Lagutchik, M. S., Mann, K. A., et al. (2016). Accuracy of Point-of-Care Lung Ultrasonography for Diagnosis of Pneumothorax in Dogs and Cats. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 248(4), 399-404. link ↗
- Kealy, J. K., McAllister, H., Graham, J. P. (2011). Diagnostic Radiology and Ultrasonography of the Dog and Cat (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Systematic Ultrasound Imaging and Interpretation in Veterinary Diagnostic Medicine. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/veterinary-medicine/ultrasonography-veterinary
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