THE APPLICATION OF TECHNETIUM-99m HEXAMETHYLPROPYLENEAMINE OXIME (99mTc-HMPAO) LABELED WHITE BLOOD CELLS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF RIGHT DORSAL ULCERATIVE COLITIS IN TWO HORSES

The application of 99mTc-HMPAO labeled white blood cells to support the diagnosis of right dorsal ulcerative colitis was studied in two horses with a history and clinical signs consistent with phenylbutazone toxicity. These images were compared to a reference horse unaffected by right dorsal ulcerative colitis. Blood was collected aseptically in heparinized syringes from the patients for in vitro white blood cell (WBC) radiolabeling. The buffy coat was separated out and radiolabeled with 99mTc-HMPAO. The radiolabeled blood was re-injected i.v. and four images of the right and left side of the patient's abdomen were acquired at 4 hours and 20 hours post-injection. Results of the nuclear study revealed no abnormal findings in the abdomen at the four-hour post-injection images in any horse. Images obtained 20 hours post-injection revealed a linear uptake of radiolabeled WBCs in the right cranioventral abdomen in the region of the right dorsal colon in both horses with right dorsal ulcerative colitis. The reference horse had no radiopharmaceutical uptake in this region. This nuclear imaging study was a rapid, non-invasive method to identify right dorsal colon inflammation. These findings not only supported the diagnosis of right dorsal ulcerative colitis, but also facilitated appropriate medical management of each horse.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE CERVICAL SPINE IN 27 DOGS

The cervical spine of 27 dogs with cervical pain or cervical myelopathy was evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Spin echo T1, T2, and post-contrast T1 weighted imaging sequences were obtained with a 0.5 Tesla magnet in 5 dogs and a 1.5 Tesla magnet in the remaining 22 dogs. MRI provided for visualization of the entire cervical spine including the vertebral bodies, intervertebral discs, vertebral canal, and spinal cord. Disorders noted included intervertebral disc degeneration and/or protrusion (12 dogs), intradural extramedullary mass lesions (3 dogs), intradural and extradural nerve root tumors (3 dogs), hydromyelia/syringomyelia (1 dog), intramedullary ring enhancing lesions (1 dog), extradural synovial cysts (1 dog), and extradural compressive lesions (3 dogs). The MRI findings were consistent with surgical findings in 18 dogs that underwent surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging provided a safe, useful non-invasive method of evaluating the cervical spinal cord.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF A MALIGNANT PERIPHERAL NERVE SHEATH TUMOR IN A DOG

A 9-year-old male neutered mixed breed dog had a two-month history of progressive left thoracic limb lameness. There was electromyographic evidence of denervation potentials in all muscles of this limb. In magnetic resonance images a multilobulated, hyperintense mass was visible caudal to the middiaphysis of the left humerus on T-2 weighted images. The mass, which was isointense with surrounding tissue on T1 weighted images, extended proximally towards the brachial plexus. The mass was also visible as a fusiform structure of mixed echogenicity sonographically, although fine-needle aspiration performed at this time was nondiagnostic. A malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor was diagnosed histopathologically.     

Doppler imaging of the ophthalmic vasculature of the normal dog: blood velocity measurements and reproducibility

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and reproducibility of color Doppler imaging (CDI) of the vasculature of the normal canine orbit and eye. Eight normal Beagles were evaluated by Doppler imaging. The goals of the study were to determine the location, spectral waveform morphology, specific blood velocity parameters, and reproducibility for the ophthalmic and orbital vessels most frequently identified in the normal dog. Vessels identified a majority of the time (> 50%) included: external ophthalmic artery, dorsal external ophthalmic vein, ventral external ophthalmic vein, internal ophthalmic artery, anterior ciliary artery and vein, short and long posterior ciliary arteries, primary retinal arteries, and vortex veins. Other vessels imaged less frequently included: external ethmoidal artery (50%), and primary retinal veins (25%). For each blood vessel the time averaged velocity, peak systolic velocity, minimum diastolic velocity, pulsatility index, and resistive index were determined. The ophthalmic and orbital vessels have unique spectral waveforms and velocities which serve as a basis for identification. Reproducibility of the most commonly imaged vessels of the canine eye and orbit with Doppler imaging was high (< 10% variation). Doppler imaging has the potential for determining noninvasively and consecutively the blood velocity parameters found in orbital and ocular diseases, including orbital inflammations and neoplasms; intraocular inflammations and neoplasms; vascular diseases including systemic vascular disease (hypertension), vasculopathies, and anemia; the glaucomas; and documentable follow-up after medical and/or surgical treatment of these diseases.     

Comparative Doppler imaging of the ophthalmic vasculature in normal Beagles and Beagles with inherited primary open-angle glaucoma

The objective of this study was to compare orbital and ocular vasculature velocity, measured by Doppler imaging, in normal Beagles and Beagles with inherited primary open-angle glaucoma. Eight normal Beagles and 13 Beagles with different stages of primary open-angle glaucoma were evaluated twice with a 2–4-week period between measurements. Doppler imaging was performed with the dogs anesthetized, and the Doppler transducer applied directly on the corneal surface. The majority of the orbital vasculature (external ethmoidal artery; internal ophthalmic artery and vein; and external ophthalmic artery and vein) and ocular blood vessels (anterior ciliary artery and veins; long posterior ciliary arteries; short posterior ciliary arteries; primary retinal arteries; and the vortex veins) were identified and Doppler blood velocity parameters were determined. The glaucomatous dogs demonstrated significant differences in the Doppler velocity parameters of several orbital vessels (external ethmoidal, external ophthalmic, and internal ophthalmic arteries), and several ocular vessels (anterior ciliary, short posterior ciliary, and long posterior ciliary arteries). These differences included decreased blood velocities, and increased pulsatility and resistive indexes. The Doppler blood flow velocities of the primary retinal arteries were unchanged between the normal and glaucomatous dogs. In the glaucomatous dogs, the Doppler imaging suggests increased vascular resistance downstream in both the orbital and ocular vasculature. These blood velocity parameter changes may be primary or secondary, and may offer therapeutic opportunities to increase perfusion, prolong the retina and optic nerve head function, and maintain vision in the canine glaucomas.     

LOW-FIELD MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF THE CANINE STIFLE JOINT: NORMAL ANATOMY

Low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed on the stifle joints of four normal adult mongrel dogs using a 0.064 Tesla scanner. Markers were placed on each stifle joint to serve as reference points for comparing gross sections with the images. A T1-weighted sequence was used to image one stifle joint on each dog in the sagittal plane and the other stifle joint in the dorsal plane. The dogs were euthanized immediately following MRI and the stifle joints frozen intact. Each stifle joint was then embedded in paraffin, again frozen, and sectioned using the markers as reference points. On T1-weighted images, synovial fluid had low signal intensity (dark) compared to the infrapatellar fat pad which had a high signal intensity (bright). Articular cartilage was visualized as an intermediate bright signal and was separated from trabecular bone by a dark line representing subchondral bone. Menisci, fibrous joint capsule, and ligamentous structures appeared dark. In the true sagittal plane, the entire caudal cruciate ligament was often seen within one image slice. The patella was visualized as an intermediate bright signal (trabecular bone) surrounded by a low intensity signal (cortical bone). The trochlea and the intercondylar notch were difficult areas to analyze due to signal volume averaging of the curved surface of these areas and the presence of several types of tissues.     

DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGE OF LATERAL VENTRICULAR VOLUME AND RATIO IN BEAGLE-TYPE DOGS UP TO 7 MONTHS OF AGE

Eighteen healthy Beagle-type dogs were studied using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging from a few days after birth up to 7 months of age. We evaluated the onset of lateral ventricular expansion, the developmental change of lateral ventricular volume and the ratio of the largest to the smallest lateral ventricular volume. The onset of lateral ventricular expansion was defined as the day that the expansion by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was first visible in unilateral or bilateral lateral ventricles on the transverse images at the level of the intraventricular formen. It was found that the expansion of lateral ventricles were first detectable at 3–4 weeks. Lateral ventricular volume ratio varied most from the onset of lateral ventricular expansion to 75 days of age and stabilized after that, although absolute brain and lateral ventricular volumes continued to increase.     

基于多光谱成像技术选取稻飞虱为害后水稻叶片的特征波段

[目的]研究选取稻飞虱为害后水稻叶片的有效特征波段,用于从大量成像光谱数据中快速识别和分类稻飞虱为害后的水稻叶片。[方法]实验采用多光谱成像系统对400-720 nm波段范围,每隔5 nm的稻飞虱为害后的水稻叶片进行多光谱成像。[结果]根据波段指数原理,计算得出波段515,510,710,555,630,535,505,530和595 nm具有较理想的波段指数值,这些波段信息量丰富、相关性小;实验通过两种分类方法分别对稻飞虱为害后的水稻叶片的分类精度予以计算,得出全波段和特征波段的分类精度均大于90.00%。[结论]这些选取的波段可以作为稻飞虱为害后水稻叶片的有效特征波段,可以用于从大范围农作物中快速识别和分类水稻叶片。     

群体小麦条锈病发病动态无人机遥感监测方法

针对当前育种群体小麦条锈病表型分析手段单一、效率低下等问题,该研究提出了一种基于无人机低空遥感和多光谱成像技术的群体小麦田间条锈病高通量表型动态分析方法。该方法利用无人机采集自然发病的育种群体小麦（共600个样本,516个基因型）冠层多时相的光谱图像,并提取22个植被指数作为后续分析的表型,同时按照发病后的时间顺序与传统条锈病人工鉴定标准记录条锈病发病阶段和发病严重度数据;使用随机森林算法建立22个光谱植被指数同条锈病发病阶段与病害严重度的分类模型,并筛选出对上述两个分类问题敏感的植被指数;同时,使用随机蛙跳算法对特征进行筛选以降低仅使用随机森林算法对特征筛选的偶然性,并将随机蛙跳算法给出被选择概率排名在约前1/3的特征作为SVM算法的输入,构建发病阶段与病害严重度模型以验证随机蛙跳算法对特征筛选的有效性;综合两次特征选择的结果,分别筛选出对发病阶段和病害严重度敏感的3个植被指数,并基于这些指数响应的时间序列分析了群体中6个参考品种发病动态的差异。对条锈病发病阶段的分类模型构建中,随机森林和SVM模型测试集的F1分数分别为0.970和0.985;对条锈病严重度等级分类中,二者的F1分数为0.740和0.780,表明通过所建立的模型可以实现对群体小麦发病阶段和病害严重度等级的分类,且随机森林算法和随机蛙跳算法都能够筛选出对条锈病发病阶段和病害严重度敏感的特征。筛选出的差分植被红边指数（Difference Vegetation Index - Rededge,DVIRE）的响应对病害胁迫较为敏感,可用于同时描述田间条锈病发病阶段和严重度。该研究提出的高通量表型分析方法,基于无人机成像光谱提取的植被指数对群体小麦田间条锈病进行时间序列动态分析,能够精准量化群体小麦受条锈病胁迫状态,并可为其他作物抗病育种的表型分析提供一定的参考。