Abstract

Ovariohysterectomy is a surgical procedure involving the removal of reproductive organs, commonly performed to control population growth and treat pathological conditions in animals. This study aimed to evaluate the formalin-fixed uterine cornua and ovaries of female cats using diagnostic imaging tools, such as digital radiography and ultrasonography. Reproductive organs were collected from 17 female cats that underwent ovariohysterectomy. All samples were fixed in 10% buffered neutral formalin and stored in 70% ethanol. Digital radiography and ultrasonography were used to assess the morphological characteristics of uterine cornua and ovarian activity. Ultrasonographic images revealed the uterus as a large, cylindrical, pipe-like structure with a hyperechoic luminal border, whereas the ovaries appeared as round to oval structures containing anechoic follicles. Based on radiographic assessment, uterine lumen shapes were classified into three categories: straight (thin and thick), spiral, and sac-like. The largest diameters of the right and left uterine cornua were recorded in sac-shaped lumens (7.01 ± 0.00 mm and 8.14 ± 0.00 mm, respectively), followed by spiral-shaped lumens (7.01 ± 0.00 mm and 7.31 ± 0.00 mm), while the smallest were observed in straight-shaped lumens (3.07 ± 0.43 mm and 2.80 ± 0.07 mm). Cats older than 10 months with sac-shaped lumens exhibited larger uterine and ovarian diameters than those with spiral or straight-shaped lumens. Morphologically, a straight uterine lumen is associated with reproductive inactivity (anoestrus), a spiral lumen with the follicular phase (estrus), and a sac-shaped lumen with early pregnancy.

Key words: digital radiography, female cat, ovariohysterectomy, reproductive organ, ultrasonography