Computed Tomographic Anatomy and Topography of the Lower Respiratory System of the European Pond Turtle (Emys Orbicularis)

Zehtabvar, Omid; Tootian, Zahra; Vajhi, Alireza; Shojaei, Bahador; Rostami, Amir; Davudypoor, Somaye; Sadeghinezhad, Javad; Ghaffari, Hanyeh; Memarian, Iman

Computed Tomographic Anatomy and Topography of the Lower Respiratory System of the European Pond Turtle (Emys Orbicularis)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Omid Zehtabvar ¹

Zahra Tootian ¹

Alireza Vajhi ²

Bahador shojaei ³

Amir Rostami ⁴

Somaye Davudypoor ²

Javad Sadeghinezhad ¹

Hanyeh Ghaffari ⁵

Iman Memarian ⁶

¹ Department of Basic Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

² Department of Surgery and Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

³ Department of Basic science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.

⁴ Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

⁵ Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Kurdestan, Sanandaj, Iran.

⁶ Wildlife Veterinarian, Chief Veterinarian of Tehran zoo and Pardisan Rehabilitation Centre, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Objective- This study was done to give complete topographic information about the position of the lungs and trachea in European pond turtle using Computed Tomography (CT) and usual anatomic methods.
Design- Experimental study
Animals- 10 female, adult European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis)
Procedures- All scans were obtained on a two detector scanner. In anatomical study eight turtles were dissected. Two other turtles were sectioned transversely.
Results- Our results showed some differences in the tracheal length, position and bifurcation site with that of other species. Moreover the topography of the lungs is described in retracted and protruded neck in this article.
Conclusion and Clinical Relevance- Most of vital systems, lungs and coelomic part of the trachea, are enclosed by the carapace and the plastron so it can not be examined customarily by clinicians. The noninvasive diagnostic imaging techniques provide detailed information concerning these organs. The general morphological features of the lower respiratory system of the European pond turtle were examined by CT images and macroscopically in this study. We found some important dissimilarities with other species.

Keywords

Anatomy

Topography

Lung

Trachea

Emys orbicularis