A RADIOLOGIC METHOD FOR EXAMINATION 



OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT IN THE 



ATLANTIC RIDLEY, LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPI, 



AND LOGGERHEAD, CARETTA CARETTA, 



MARINE TURTLES'^ 



In the past 2 yr the National Marine Fisheries 

 Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce has 

 been raising hatchlings of the Atlantic ridley, 

 Lepidochelys kempi, and loggerhead, Caretta 

 caretta, marine turtles. These are classified as en- 

 dangered and threatened species under the U.S. 

 Endangered Species Act of 1973 (U.S. Fish and 

 Wildlife Service 1977, 1978). The rearing activity 

 was undertaken to provide a better understanding 

 of the early life histories of those species. 



Of immediate concern was the evaluation and 

 treatment of skin, gastrointestinal, lung, and sys- 

 temic diseases, which emerged rapidly in the cap- 

 tive turtles. Radiologic examination was sought as 

 a possible diagnostic modality for various prob- 

 lems. To this end we have attempted to develop 

 radiologic techniques for the study of normal and 

 diseased animals. 



In this paper we report on the use of barium 

 sulfate contrast agent in studying the gastro- 

 intestinal (GI) tract of normal turtles and propose 

 its use as an aid in the diagnosis of turtle GI 

 diseases. 



Methods 



The GI tracts of two loggerhead and two ridley 

 turtles, between the ages of 4 and 10 mo, were 

 examined by means of commercially available 

 44% (wt/wt) aqueous barium sulfate suspension.^ 

 Similar suspensions are frequently used in the 

 examination of the GI tract of humans (Margulis 

 1973; Miller 1973). 



Preparation of the GI tract was accomplished by 

 not feeding the animals for 2 d and then giving 0.5 

 ml of X-Prep, a commercial laxative of extract of 

 senna fruit (Gray Pharmaceutical Company, Nor- 

 walk, Conn.), on the day prior to the examination. 

 Next, the esophagus was intubated using a plastic 



'The investigations involving the Atlantic ridley turtle were 

 conducted under Permit No. PRT 2-1770 (U.S. Federal Fish and 

 Wildlife Service), permits 1978-ABC-IV-0751, No. 27611-8786, 

 and 1979-ABC-IV-1258, Exp. 4287 (Mexican Government). 



^Contribution Number 81-lG, Southeast Fisheries Center 

 Galveston Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, 

 NOAA. 



^E-Z-EM Company, Cat. No. 750, Westbury, N.Y. Reference to 

 trade names or commercial companies does not imply endorse- 

 ment by the National Marine Fisheries, NOAA. 



FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 78. NO. 4, 1981. 



umbilical artery catheter (Argyle, Cat. No. 8888- 

 160-226, Sherwood Medical Co., St. Louis, Mo.) 

 measuring 5 mm in circumference. The intubation 

 of the ridley turtle s esophagus proved more dif- 

 ficult than the loggerhead's as they resisted pas- 

 sage of the catheter through the oropharynx. 

 Therefore, a dose of 0.25 mg of succinylcholine 

 chloride'* was given subcutaneously in the neck to 

 effect partial skeletal muscle paralysis. Paralysis 

 was adequate in 4 or 5 min, rapidly diminished, 

 and was nearly undetectable in 20 min. (No unto- 

 ward side effects occurred.) Also, a plastic hollow 

 guide (4 mm in diameter) was placed in the 

 oropharynx and upper esophagus through which 

 the umbilical artery catheter was threaded into 

 the esophagus and stomach. Both the hollow guide 

 and catheter were lubricated with small amounts 

 of surgical lubricant. The placement of the cathe- 

 ter tip in the stomach and injection of ap- 

 proximately 5 ml of contrast material were done 

 under fluoroscopic control. Radiographic films 

 were then exposed using either the phototimed 

 fluoroscopic filming device or manual techniques 

 utilizing standard radiographic equipment, film, 

 and film cassettes. The fluoroscopic unit, radio- 

 graphic equipment, radiographic film, and film 

 cassettes which were used are of standard med- 

 ical grade and are available in most radiology 

 departments. Serial filming consisting of fluoro- 

 scopic spot films, made in various degrees of ob- 

 liquity and standard medical radiographic film^ in 

 cassettes (Halsey Rigidform, Halsey X-Ray Prod- 

 ucts, Brooklyn, N.Y.) equipped with par speed 

 intensifying screens (Radelin TA-3, GAF Corp., 

 Brooklyn, N.Y), and industrial grade film^ in 

 cardboard cassettes made in the dorsoventral (DV) 

 position were done on the day of the examination. 

 For the following 2 d DV par speed medical films or 

 industrial grade films were made on each consecu- 

 tive day. Thereafter, DV films were exposed every 

 other day for 4 d. Radiographic technique and film 

 types are given in Table 1. 



Radiation exposure using industrial film ex- 

 posed at 60 kV peak and 400 mAs and par speed 

 medical film exposed at 50 kV peak and 10 mAs 

 with a target film distance of approximately 100 

 cm was 0.98 and 0.14 Roentgen/exposure, respec- 

 tively. These measurements were obtained using a 

 0.6 cm^ Baldwin-Farmer air ionization chamber 



^Succinylcholine HCl injection U.S.R, Oraganon, Inc., West 

 Orange, N.J. 



sRodak XRP-1, Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y. 

 «Kodak RP M, Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y. 



965 



