Radiographic measurement of cardiac size in 27 rabbits

Right lateral position (RL) chest radiograms were obtained from 27 heart disease-free rabbits, and cardiac sizes were compared according to body weight (1.6 vs.or =1.6 kg) and gender (female vs. male). Significant differences (P0.05) were observed in RL-long axis (RL-LA) and RL-vertebral heart size (RL-VHS). RL-LA was 4.22 +/- 0.25 and 4.48 +/- 0.3, and RL-VHS was 7.55 +/- 0.38 and 7.99 +/- 0.58, in the1.6 kg (n=12) andor =1.6 kg (n=15) groups, respectively. These values should prove useful as new diagnostic indices for cardiac disease in rabbits.