README file
Data Set Title: “Echocardiography parameters of healthy neonatal foals”
Data Set Authors: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0527-8277
Fernanda Timbó D’el Rey Dantas1 (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0527-8277 )
Carolina Castagnetti1 (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5533-7637 )
Giovanni Romito1
Aliai Lanci1 (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9828-4317 )
Jole Mariella1
Francesca Freccero1 (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1645-2111 )
1Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italia. 
Data set Contributors:
Giulia Forni2 (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4466-6029 )
Gayle Hallowell3
Laura Menchetti4 (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8500-7970 )
2Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
3Medicine Vet Equine Referrals, Upper Broughton, Leicestershire, UK
4School of Biosciences and Veterinary Medicine, University of Camerino, Matelica, Italia.

Data Set Contact Person:
Francesca Freccero1: francesca.freccero2@unibo.it
1Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell’Emilia, Italia.

Data Set License: This data set is distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 
Publication Year: 2025
Data set Contents
The data set consists of:
	•	3 tabular quantitative files saved in .csv(/.ods) format 
“Echocardiography_parameters_of_healthy_neonatal_foals_all_parameters.csv(/.ods)”: This file contains age, body weight, and all echocardiographic parameters obtained in the study, including both measured and calculated variables.
“Echocardiography_parameters_of_healthy_neonatal_foals_interobserver.csv(/.ods)”: This file includes age, body weight, and echocardiographic parameters directly measured and used for inter-observer variability analysis.
“Echocardiography_parameters_of_healthy_neonatal_foals_intraobserver.csv(/.ods)”: This file includes age, body weight, and echocardiographic parameters directly measured and used for intra-observer variability analysis.
	•	1 README file 
“Echocardiography_parameters_of_healthy_neonatal_foals_README.rtf”
Data set Documentation
	•	Abstract
This dataset includes echocardiographic measurements from healthy Standardbred neonatal foals, comprising age and body weight at examination and measured echocardiographic parameters. Three files are provided: one containing all measured and calculated parameters, and two containing only measured parameters used for inter- and intra-observer variability analyses

Content of the files: 
	•	- “Echocardiography_parameters_of_healthy_neonatal_foals_all_parameters.csv(/.ods)” contains: Age, body weight, and all echocardiographic parameters obtained in the study, including both measured and calculated variables.
	•	- “Echocardiography_parameters_of_healthy_neonatal_foals_interobserver.csv(/.ods)” contains: Age, body weight, and echocardiographic parameters directly measured in duplicate by two different observers. Used for inter-observer variability analysis.
	•	- “Echocardiography_parameters_of_healthy_neonatal_foals_intraobserver.csv(/.ods)” contains: Age, body weight, and echocardiographic parameters directly measured in duplicate by the same observer at least one week apart. Used for intra-observer variability analysis.

	•	Methodologies 
All foals underwent a complete transthoracic echocardiographic examination, including M-mode, 2DE, and Doppler evaluation, at three time points: in the first 48 hours (T1), between 49 and 96 hours (T2), and 97 and 144 hours (T3) after birth. Exact age (in hours) and body weight (kg) were recorded at each time point.
Echocardiographic examination was performed using a standard right parasternal and a subcostal view. Foals were positioned in left lateral recumbency on a mattress. No pharmacological sedation was employed. The right forelimb was extended slightly cranially to improve echocardiographic images. No clipping was employed; alcohol and ultrasound gel were used for image acquisition as needed.
All echocardiographic exams were performed by the same operator. Two different ultrasound systems were used: a MyLab Alpha device (Esaote Lab, Genova, Italy) during the first two foaling seasons (2020 and 2021) and a Philips CX50 system (Philips Medical Systems, USA) during the last two (2022 and 2023), both equipped with 1–5 MHz phased array cardiologic transducers. Images were acquired using second harmonic imaging. Each foal was consistently examined with the same ultrasound system throughout the study, and no animal was assessed with different devices. A single lead base-apex electrocardiogram was recorded during each echocardiographic examination. 
Routine transthoracic M-mode, 2DE, and Doppler echocardiography were performed to assess cardiac structures, chamber dimensions, LV systolic function, and transvalvular flows as described elsewhere. All echocardiographic recordings were stored in DICOM format as still frames or cine-loops for offline analysis performed at the end of the data collection period. Echocardiographic measurements were performed offline using the built-in software of the ultrasound machine by blinded observers. For each variable, the mean of three measurements from three different cardiac cycles was used for further analysis.  

	•	List of variables
Scan view	Abbreviation	Unit	Measurement method	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C LVVd	ml	Left ventricular volume measured at end-diastole, timed one frame after mitral valve closure	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C LVVs	ml	Left ventricular volume measured at end-systole, timed one frame prior to mitral valve opening	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C LVLd	cm	Left ventricular length measured at end-diastole, timed one frame after mitral valve closure	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C LVLs	cm	Left ventricular length measured at end-systole, timed one frame prior to mitral valve opening	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C LAD	cm	Left atrium diameter at the widest distance parallel to the mitral valve annulus during maximum atrial filling	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C LAA	cm2	Left atrial area at maximum atrial filling	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C TVE	m/s	Transtricuspid flow measured at the peak of E wave	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C TVA	m/s	Transtricuspid flow measured at the peak of A wave	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C SV	ml	Stroke volume calculated by the modified Simpson’s method.	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis 4-chamber view (R-4C)	R-4C EF	%	Left ventricular ejection fraction calculated by the modified Simpson’s method.	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis right ventricular outflow tract view (R-RVOT)	R-PADvalveRVOT	cm	Pulmonary diameter at the valve level at end-diastole	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis right ventricular outflow tract view (R-RVOT)	R-PADsinusRVOT	cm	Pulmonary diameter at the sinus at end-diastole	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis right ventricular outflow tract view (R-RVOT)	R-PA VelmaxRVOT	m/s	Pulmonary artery peak velocity	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis right ventricular outflow tract view (R-RVOT)	R-PA PG RVOT	mmHg	Pulmonary artery pressure gradient	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis left ventricular outflow tract view (R-LVOT)	R-AoDvalveLVOT	cm	Aorta diameter at valve level at end-diastole, one frame before valve opening	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis left ventricular outflow tract view (R-LVOT)	R-AoDsinusLVOT	cm	Aorta diameter at sinus at end-diastole, one frame before valve opening	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis left ventricular outflow tract view (R-LVOT)	R-AoDSTJLVOT	cm	Aorta diameter at sinotubular junction at end-diastole, one frame before valve opening	
Right-sided parasternal long-axis left ventricular outflow tract view (R-LVOT)	R-PADdLVOT	cm	Pulmonary artery diameter measured at end-diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-LVAdSAX	cm2	Left ventricular area measured at end-diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-LVAsSAX	cm2	Left ventricular area measured at peak-systole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-LVVdSAX	ml	Left ventricular volume measured at end-diastole, timed one frame after mitral valve closure	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-LVVsSAX	ml	Left ventricular volume measured at end-systole, timed one frame prior to mitral valve opening	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-SVBulletSAX	ml	Stroke volume calculated by the bullet method.	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	RVIDd	cm	Right ventricle internal diameter measured in M-mode at end-diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	IVSd	cm	Interventricular septal thickness measured in M-mode at end-diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	IVSs	cm	Interventricular septal thickness measured in M-mode at peak-systole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	LVIDd	cm	Left ventricular internal diameter in M-mode at end-diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	LVIDs	cm	Left ventricular internal diameter in M-mode at peak-systole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	LVFWd	cm	Left ventricular free wall thickness in M-mode at end-diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	LVFWs	cm	Left ventricular free wall thickness in M-mode at peak-systole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	EPSS	cm	E-point septal separation in M-mode at the level of the mitral valve	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	FSM-modeSAX	%	Left ventricular fractional shortening calculated using M-mode measurements	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	EFM-modeSAX	%	Left ventricular ejection fraction calculated using M-mode measurements	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	EDVM-modeSAX	ml	End diastolic volume calculated using M-mode measurements	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	ESVM-modeSAX	ml	End systolic volume calculated using M-mode measurements	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	MASSM-modeSAX	g	Left ventricular mass calculated using M-mode measurements	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	RWTM-modeSAX		Left ventricular relative wall thickness calculated using M-mode measurements	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	SVM-modeSAX	ml	Stroke volume calculated using M-mode measurements	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-AoDdSAX	cm	Aorta diameter at level of the base of the heart at diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-LAD1dSAX	cm	Left atrium diameter from the commissure of the left coronary and noncoronary cusps to the opposite atrial wall at diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-LAD2dSAX	cm	Left atrium diameter from the junction of the atrial septum with aorta to the free wall at diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-LAAdSAX	cm2	Left atrium area at diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-PADvalveSAX	cm	Pulmonary artery diameter at the valve level at diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-PADsinusSAX	cm	Pulmonary artery diameter at the sinus of Valsava at diastole	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-PA Velmax SAX	m/s	Pulmonary flow maximal velocity	
Right-sided short axis view (R-SAX)	R-PA PG SAX	mmHg	Pulmonary flow pressure gradient	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC AoDsinus	cm	Aorta diameter at the sinus of Valsava at end-diastole	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC AoCSA	cm2	Aorta cross sectional area calculated from SC AoDsinus	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC Ao VTI	cm	Aorta flow velocity time integral	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC Ao Velmax	m/s	Aorta flow maximal velocity	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC Ao PG	mmHg	Aorta flow pressure gradient	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC Ao SV	ml	Stroke volume calculated using aorta flow velocity time integral and cross-sectional area	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC MVE	m/s	Transmitral flow measured at the peak of E wave	
Subcostal view (SC)	SC MVA	m/s	Transmitral flow measured at the peak of A wave