ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF THE CALIFORNIA DESERT TORTOISE (Xerobates agassizi): ANATOMY AND APPLICATION

Ultrasonographic examinations were performed on healthy California desert tortoises to evaluate the utility of the anatomic acoustic windows available and to gain information about the normal echoanatomy of the tortoise. A major objective was to evaluate the potential clinical value of this diagnostic tool in these species. The soft tissue areas of the integument were used as acoustic windows. Three imaging approaches were described as mediastinal, axillary, and inguinal openings. The mediastinal and axillary approaches offered good visualization of the heart, liver, and gallbladder. The inguinal window allowed imaging of the intestines, urinary/accessory bladders, kidneys, and gonads. The pancreas and spleen could not be visualized. A tortoise with pericardial effusion and a tortoise with hepatic lipidosis are presented to illustrate clinical applications of ultrasound in diagnosing diseases of the tortoise.