| Abstract: | Although color Doppler ultrasonography has been used to evaluate testicular blood flow in
many species, very little has been done in goat. Eight male Shiba goats were exposed to a
single intramuscular injection of either gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH group; 1
µg/kg BW) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG group; 25 IU/kg BW).
Plasma testosterone (T), estradiol (E2) and inhibin (INH) were measured just before (0 hr)
and at different intervals post injection by radioimmunoassay. Testis volume (TV) and
Doppler indices, such as resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of the
supratesticular artery, were measured by B-mode and color Doppler ultrasonography,
respectively. The results indicated an increase in testicular blood flow in both groups,
as RI and PI decreased significantly (P<0.05), but this increase was
significant higher and earlier in hCG group (1 hr) than in the GnRH group (2 hr). A high
correlation was found for RI and PI with both T (RI, r= −0.862; PI, r= −0.707) and INH in
the GnRH group (RI, r=0.661; PI, r=0.701). However, a significant
(P<0.05) correlation was found between E2 and both RI (r= −0.610) and
PI (r= −0.763) in hCG group. In addition, TV significantly increased and was highly
correlated with RI in both groups (GnRH, r= −0.718; hCG, r= −0.779). In conclusion, hCG
and GnRH may improve testicular blood flow and TV in Shiba goats. |
