VETERINARY RADIOLOGY AND ULTRASOUND, cilt.49, ss.383-397, 2008 (SCI-Expanded)
Our objective was to evaluate kidney antioxidant status in rats subjected to an ultrasound examination. Thirty
rats were divided into five groups for injection of saline (S) or anesthetic (A), and application of ultrasound using
different modes, B mode, pulsed wave Doppler, and continuous wave Doppler, under anesthesia. Ultrasound was
performed on days 1, 3, and 5 relative to the initiation of the experiment. Rats were then scarified on day 6. The
kidney tissue thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) level and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity
were measured. Both TBARS level and SOD activity increased, 21% and 38%, respectively, due to anesthesia
(Po0.04 for both). SOD activity increased further by a factor of 1.2 in response to ultrasound examination
(Po0.05), whereas TBARS level was not affected by Doppler and continuous wave Doppler compared to
anesthesia. Increases in the level of TBARS (Po0.03) and SOD activity (Po0.01) were greatest when B-mode
ultrasound was employed. These substances did not increase further when continuous wave Doppler was employed. The peak-negative acoustic pressure (9.16 vs. 9.74MPa) and frequency (3.57 vs. 6.95MHz) for B mode
and pulsed wave Doppler were greater than those for continuous wave Doppler (0.22MPa and 1.96MHz). The
estimated mechanical indexes were 4.87, 3.70, and 0.15 for B mode, pulsed wave Doppler, and continuous wave
Doppler, respectively. In conclusion, anesthesia may cause tissue damage as reflected by elevated lipid peroxidation and free radical formation and ultrasound examination may amplify tissue damage through mechanical
effects caused by ultrasound absorption