Abstract：
B-mode ultrasound is routinely performed to evaluate the prostate gland in neutered dogs, although, the detection of malignancies may be challenging. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has shown to be useful for the assessment of prostatic perfusion in normal and diseased dogs, although the interpretation of contrast ultrasonographic features may still be subjective. A quantitative tool for evaluating prostatic perfusion might improve the reliability of the results in terms of early detection of prostate neoplasia in neutered dogs. The present study aimed to evaluate the applicability of a postprocessing analysis tool to CEUS of the prostate in healthy neutered dogs, to provide quantitative measurements, and to study the influence of individual characteristics on prostatic regression. Twenty-three neutered dogs underwent a B-mode and CEUS examination of the prostate to acquire data about prostatic morphology and microcirculation. The prostate was imaged using a 5-7.5 MHz linear transducer and contrast was administered intravenously. Videoclips were analyzed by using Qontrast software and a postprocessing digital analysis tool (ImageJ) to measure perfusion peak intensity, time to peak, and vascularization ratio at the moment of the peak, which were then related to body weight, age, and time elapsed since orchiectomy. Correlation tests revealed higher vascularization in younger compared with older dogs (P < .05) and in smaller compared with larger dogs (P < .05). Time elapsed since orchiectomy (P > .05) did not affect prostatic perfusion. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and the postprocessing analysis tool ImageJ allowed analysis of vascular perfusion in all dogs and have the potential to improve the diagnostic possibilities for andrological examination.
摘要：
常规进行B型超声检查以评估绝育犬的前列腺，虽然,恶性肿瘤的检测可能具有挑战性.超声造影（CEUS）已被证明可用于评估正常和患病犬的前列腺灌注，尽管对比超声特征的解释可能仍然是主观的。评估前列腺灌注的定量工具可能会提高结果在早期发现绝育犬前列腺瘤形成方面的可靠性。本研究旨在评估后处理分析工具对健康绝育犬前列腺CEUS的适用性，为了提供定量测量，并研究个体特征对前列腺回归的影响。对23只绝育的狗进行了B模式和CEUS前列腺检查，以获取有关前列腺形态和微循环的数据。使用5-7.5MHz线性传感器对前列腺进行成像，并静脉内施用造影剂。通过使用Qontrast软件和后处理数字分析工具（ImageJ）来测量灌注峰强度，时间达到顶峰，和峰值时的血管化比率，然后与体重有关，年龄,以及睾丸切除术后的时间。相关测试显示，与年龄较大的狗相比，较年轻的狗的血管形成更高（P<0.05），而与较大的狗相比，较小的狗的血管形成更高（P<0.05）。睾丸切除术后经过的时间（P>.05）不影响前列腺灌注。超声造影和后处理分析工具ImageJ允许分析所有狗的血管灌注，并有可能提高男性检查的诊断可能性。
