Topographic, sonographic and applied anatomy of the left side of the horse`s abdomen

This study aimed to establish the anatomical positioning of abdominal organs in horses relative to the abdominal wall using identifiable bony and cartilaginous landmarks such as ribs, lumbar transverse processes, costal arch, and tuber coxae. The goal was to define reference points for ultrasonographic examination and detect deviations associated with disease.The stomach lies caudal to the diaphragm and liver, between the 9th and 15th intercostal spaces. It can be ultrasonographically visualized by placing the probe between the 8th and 14th intercostal spaces, in the dorsal third of the abdominal wall, along a 45° oblique line extending cranioventrally from the vertebral end of the 15th rib. The spleen is attached to the stomach by the gastrosplenic ligament, with its base located ventral to the last three thoracic vertebrae, and its apex extending to the 11th intercostal space.The jejunum, a mobile part of the small intestine, contacts the left abdominal wall between the 13th and 16th ribs, bounded dorsally by the spleen and ventrally by the left dorsal colon. The left ventral colon extends from the sternal flexure near the 6th intercostal space to the pelvic inlet, and lies ventral to the left dorsal colon, which appears smooth sonographically due to having only one teniae and sacculation row. The descending (small) colon, with two teniae and two sacculation rows, is located between the base of the spleen and the costochondral junction of the last three ribs, extending caudally to the flank and pelvic inlet.