[Standardization of ultrasound examination of the prepuce and free end of the bovine penis]

ABSTRACT Ultrasonography is a noninvasive complementary exam that is still rarely used in the preputial evaluation and without detailed descriptions of the bovine free end of the penis. The purpose of this study was to standardize preputial ultrasonography in one-year-old healthy Nelore cattle, describing the main acoustic windows, the viability of using contrast in the preputial cavity and the best positioning of the animal for performing the ultrasound examination. The scanning was performed with the animals in standing and decubitus position. Five acoustic windows were determined from the preputial ostium to the preputial fornix, at the free end of the penis. The scans were performed in longitudinal, transverse and dorsal planes, before and after infiltration of 0.9% saline solution into the preputial cavity. As conclusions, the ultrasound examination is able to identify the internal layer and the free part of the penis in all proposed planes and acoustic windows. The best landmark is the identification of the glans. Furthermore, standing positioning is the most appropriate to perform the exam and the use of contrast is recommended for topographic delimitation of the structures.