Radiographic Cardiac Silhouette Evaluation of Healthy Texas A&M White Quail (Coturnix sp.)

The aim of this study was to determine reference values for the width and length of the heart of Texas A&M white quail (<i>Coturnix</i> genotype; meat-type white quail) in relation to other anatomic landmarks. The cardiac silhouettes of 24 Texas A&M white quail were measured in ventrodorsal and right laterolateral projections using radiographic images without sedation. Cardiac width, thoracic width, coracoid width, distance between the third and fourth ribs, synsacrum width, and distance between clavicles were evaluated on ventrodorsal radiographic images. The widest point of the heart, length of the heart from the height of the aorta and pulmonary artery to the apex, length of the sternum from the insertion of the coracoid to the caudal edge, and depth of the sternum (90° from the junction of the coracoid to the sternum) were analyzed on the right lateral radiographic images. The mean ± SD cardiac width in the 24 Texas A&M white quail was 13.44 ± 1.99 mm with lower and upper limits of 10.1 mm and 18.41 mm, respectively. The results showed a strongly significant correlation between the ratio of cardiac width/thoracic width (<i>P</i> < 0.001) and cardiac width/coracoid width (<i>P</i> = 0.003). The radiographic reference intervals calculated in this study, especially thoracic widths, can be used in the evaluation process of cardiac size in quail.