186 QUANTITATIVE ECHOGENICITY AND ECHOTEXTURE ANALYSIS OF THE ACCESSORY SEX GLANDS OF PUBERTAL AND MATURE DORPER RAMS

E. S. C. Camela; R. P. Nociti; V. J. C. Santos; B. I. Macente; G. S. Maciel; M. A. R. Feliciano; W. R. R. Vicente; P. M. Bartlewski; M. E. F. Oliveira

doi:10.1071/RDv28n2Ab186

RESEARCH ARTICLE

186 QUANTITATIVE ECHOGENICITY AND ECHOTEXTURE ANALYSIS OF THE ACCESSORY SEX GLANDS OF PUBERTAL AND MATURE DORPER RAMS

E. S. C. Camela ^A , R. P. Nociti ^A , V. J. C. Santos ^A , B. I. Macente ^A , G. S. Maciel ^A , M. A. R. Feliciano ^A , W. R. R. Vicente ^A , P. M. Bartlewski ^B and M. E. F. Oliveira ^A

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A FCAV–UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil;

^B University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 28(2) 224-224 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv28n2Ab186
Published: 3 December 2015

Abstract

This study aimed to analyse the ultrasonographic attributes of vesicular, prostate, and bulbourethral glands in pubertal and mature Dorper rams. Forty-five rams were used in the same day (pubertal: 8–11 months, n = 24; mature: ≥12 months, n = 21). The B-mode ultrasounds examinations were performed using MyLab 30Vet equipment (Esaote, Naples, Italy) connected to transrectal linear transducer (frequency of 7.5 MHz). The echogenicity [(mean numerical pixel values (NPV)] and pixel heterogeneity (standard deviation of NPV) of accessory sex glands parenchymas was determined by computerised image analysis using Image ProPlus® software (Media Cybernetics Inc., Rockville, MD, USA). For the pairs organs a mean for each parameter were calculated. Data were analysed by ANOVA with Tukey test (mean ± s.d.; P < 0.05), after the normality and homoscedasticity of residuals were checked with Shapiro-Wilk test and Levene test, respectively, when necessary log-transformation was applied. All statistical procedures was performed with R^® software. The echogenicity of parenchymas were different (P < 0.05) between pubertal and mature rams for vesicular glands (181.51 ± 20.80 v. 164.83 ± 26.79) and bulbourethral glands (166.93 ± 16.93 v. 141.80 ± 29.15); however, there was no difference (P > 0.05) for prostate glands (99.39 ± 36.34 v. 87.47 ± 34.24). The pixel heterogeneity did not differ (P > 0.05) between pubertal and mature rams (29.06 ± 2.67 v. 28.09 ± 3.95, 32.14 ± 8.20 v. 30.28 ± 4.71, and 27.82 ± 4.53 v. 28.74 ± 4.29) for vesicular, prostate, and bulbourethral glands, respectively. In conclusion, the sexual maturity only influenced the echogenicity of vesicular and bulbourethral parenchymas of Dorper rams.