Thoracic radiographic anatomy in vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus sabaeus)

Abstract

Background: The vervet monkey (Chlorocebus sabaeus) is used commonly in cardiorespiratory biomedical research. This study was performed to establish reference values for thoracic structures and to describe the normal radiographic appearance of the vervet monkey thorax.

Methods: Right lateral and dorsoventral thoracic radiographs of ten mature vervet monkeys were evaluated. Anatomic structures were characterized using descriptive statistics.

Results: Normal measurements of skeletal, pulmonary, mediastinal, and cardiovascular structures are reported herein. Several ratios were calculated to assess the cardiac silhouette, caudal vena cava, and pulmonary arteries and veins.

Conclusions: Consistent measurements could be made on the majority of the thoracic structures evaluated. The aorta on lateral radiographs and the pulmonary veins on dorsoventral radiographs were obscured by a mild bronchointerstitial pattern and body conformation. Caudal vena cava-tapering was occasionally noted and attributed to general anesthesia. Species-specific thoracic radiographic reference values should prove useful in vervet monkey disease diagnosis and management.

Keywords: cardiothoracic ratio; caudal vena cava; heart; pulmonary; radiography; skeletal; vertebral heart score.