Canine thoracic radiographic images as an educational dataset for distance learning and research on vertebral heart score

Distance learning is a rapidly spreading form of education worldwide and it plays a crucial role to provide access to millions of people in developing countries. However, the benefits of online learning extend far beyond and became increasingly popular also in medical schools, including veterinary medicine [1,2]. In these new teaching settings, high-quality, validated and easily accessible multimedia materials are of great importance, especially in specific fields, such as radiology, where graphic resources can greatly support learning [3]. The dataset presented along with this article reviews examples of 153 canine latero-lateral thoracic radiographic medical images taken and collected at the Small Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Veterinary Sciences Research Institute, Autonomous University of Baja California. serves as a basis for teaching VHS calculation. Images on this dataset contain all relevant anatomical structures in the determination of VHS, which makes them optimal images for practice in calculating VHS and teaching this procedure. The number of cardiothoracic radiographic images presented here can be a great support in learning the calculation of VHS, especially when combined with distance competency-based educators' support. Acquired heart diseases in the dog are very common, clinical evidence of degenerative valvular disease is detected in approximately 30% of dogs aged 13 years and older [4]. The prevalence of Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) is remarkably high in certain breeds, approximately 25% of Irish Wolfhounds, 33% of female Doberman Pinschers, and 50% of male Doberman Pinschers are diagnosed with DCM [5]. Thoracic radiography is a key component in cardiovascular evaluation, which is used to calculate the vertebral heart score (VHS). VHS measurement has been described as one of the most objective methods for assessing cardiomegaly in dogs. VHS, in addition to thorough patient history and physical examination, can be very efficient to raise clinical suspicion of underlying heart disease. The measurement is based on cardiac height and width and is normalized to overall body size by comparison to vertebral body length. ln addition to the initial assessment of heart size, the VHS method is also useful for monitoring changes in heart size in response to treatment or to assess the progression of cardiomegaly over time in canine patients [6]Fig. 1. Importantly, considerable breed and individual variation exist with VHS and dogs can have values that fall outside of the normal range even without any cardiac disease. Thus, while the VHS method is a very informative tool, it should not be used as the only means of diagnosing cardiac disease in any given patient [7].