Koyunlarda Gebelik Teşhisinde Transrektal, Transvajinal ve Transabdominal Ultrasonografinin Tanısal Performansı

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, koyunlarda gebeliğin 21., 35. ve 50. günlerinde transrektal ultrasonografiyi (trUSG) referans alarak transvajinal (tvUSG) ve transabdominal (taUSG) ultrasonografinin tanısal etkinliğini değerlendirmek ve karşılaştırmaktır. Çalışmada toplam 100 baş anöstrüsteki İvesi koyunu kullanıldı. Koyunlar östrüs senkronizasyonu sonrası çiftleştirildi. Gebelik tanısı, çiftleşmeden sonraki 21. günde yalnızca tvUSG ve trUSG kullanılarak yapılırken, 35. ve 50. günlerde ek olarak taUSG uygulanarak her üç görüntüleme yönteminin de kullanılmasına olanak sağlandı. tvUSG'de duyarlılık 21., 35. ve 50. günlerde sırasıyla %85.71, %95.34 ve %87.80 olarak bulunurken, özgüllük tüm zaman noktalarında %100.0 olarak kalmıştır. Pozitif öngörü değeri %100.0, negatif öngörü değeri ise sırasıyla%87.93, %96.61 ve %91.18 olarak bulundu. Genel doğruluk 21, 35 ve 50. günlerde sırasıyla %93.00, %98.00 ve %95.00 olarak hesaplandı (Kappa=0.860; 0.959; 0.895, P<0.001). Buna karşılık, taUSG 35. günde %88.37 ve 50. günde %95.12 duyarlılık gösterirken, doğruluk değerleri sırasıyla %95.00 ve %98.00 idi (Kappa 0.897; 0.958, P<0.001). Ortalama muayene süreleri değerlendirildiğinde, tvUSG'nin 21. ve 35. günlerde sırasıyla 110.03±3.09 saniye ve 57.06±1.19 saniye ile en kısa tanı süresine sahip olduğu, taUSG'nin ise 50. günde 50.12±1.40 saniye ile açık ara en hızlı yöntem olduğu görüldü (P<0.001). Sonuç olarak, tvUSG erken gebelik tanısında trUSG'ye alternatif olarak ortaya çıkarken, taUSG uygulama kolaylığı ve daha kısa muayene süresi nedeniyle gebeliğin ileri evrelerinde klinik olarak daha pratiktir.

Keywords

• Gebelik teşhisi
• koyun
• transabdominal
• transrektal
• transvajinal
• ultrasonografi

Project Number

25.LÖKAP.001

Diagnostic Performance of Transrectal, Transvaginal, and Transabdominal Ultrasonography in Pregnancy Diagnosis in Ewes

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the diagnostic efficiency of transvaginal (tvUSG) and transabdominal (taUSG) ultrasonography on the 21st, 35th, and 50th days of pregnancy in ewes, using transrectal ultrasonography (trUSG) as the reference method. A total of 100 Awassi ewes in anoestrus were used in the study. Ewes were mated after estrus synchronisation. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed using only tvUSG and trUSG on Day 21 post-mating, whereas on Days 35 and 50, taUSG was additionally applied, allowing the use of all three imaging modalities. In tvUSG, the sensitivity on Days 21, 35, and 50 was 85.71%, 95.34%, and 87.80%, respectively, while specificity remained 100.0% at all time points. The positive predictive value was 100.0%, and the negative predictive value was 87.93%, 96.61%, and 91.18%, respectively. Overall accuracy was calculated as 93.00%, 98.00%, and 95.00% on Days 21, 35, and 50 (Kappa=0.860; 0.959; 0.895, P<0.001). Conversely, taUSG demonstrated a sensitivity of 88.37% on Day 35 and 95.12% on Day 50, with accuracy values of 95.00% and 98.00%, respectively (Kappa 0.897; 0958, P<0.001). When the mean examination times were evaluated, tvUSG had the shortest diagnostic time with 110.03±3.09 seconds and 57.06±1.19 seconds on days 21 and 35, respectively, while taUSG was by far the fastest method with 50.12±1.40 seconds on day 50 (P<0.001). In conclusion, tvUSG emerges as an alternative to trUSG for early pregnancy diagnosis, whereas taUSG is clinically more practical in later stages of gestation due to its ease of application and shorter examination time.

Keywords

• Ewes
• pregnancy diagnosis
• transabdominal
• transrectal
• transvaginal
• ultrasonography

Supporting Institution

This research was supported by the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit, project number 25.LÖKAP.001.

Project Number

25.LÖKAP.001

Ethical Statement

This study was performed with the approval of the Local Ethics Committee for Animal Experiments of Mustafa Kemal University, Hatay, Turkey (2025/03-13).

Thanks

The authors would like to thank the Hatay Mustafa Kemal University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit for supporting this research with the project number 25.LÖKAP.001 and Kasım Taşçı, Deniz Köskü and Zehra Çetinkaya for their valuable help during the experimental phase of the project.

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