Ultrasonography of the Mammary Gland in Ruminants: a Review

Fast and accurate diagnostics and prognosis are very important with regard to mammary gland illnesses in ruminants due to the negative economic impact of the loss of milk productivity. This necessitates the usage of modern, accurate and quick methods for mammary gland examination, such as ultrasonography. The main advantage of ultrasonography examination is the method’s noninvasiveness and the possibility for visualisation of the structures in all parts of the mammary gland (teat and parenchyma). Possible indications for application could be disruptions in milk secretion, diagnostics of pathological changes (stenosis and obstructions, inflammations, abscesses, haematomas, foreign bodies, etc.), measurements of teat canal length and diameter, teat cistern diameter, and teat wall thickness. The ultrasound examination of the mammary gland parenchyma in ruminants is mainly performed through the direct contact technique (transcutaneous echography) with lowfrequency linear, sector or convex transducer (3.5–5 MHz) and horizontal scanning. Examination of the teat is most commonly conducted through the water bath technique and vertical scanning. A highquality image can be produced if a high-frequency probe is used. The present review aimed to summarise the data related to ultrasound examination of the mammary gland in ruminant animals, with regard to its advantages, clinical applications, indications for performance, scanning techniques, and the interpretation of the echographic image of the udder’s different parts.