Evaluation of diagnostic ultrasound as a mass screening technique for the detection of hydatid cysts in the liver and lung of sheep and goats.

Ultrasound examination of the liver and lung followed by post-mortem examination was performed in 16 sheep and 284 goats. Thirty-one (10.3%) were positive for hydatid cysts on ultrasound examination and 46 (15.3%) were positive on post-mortem examination. Twenty-one positive on post-mortem examination were falsely identified as negative on ultrasound examination. Of the 254 animals negative on post-mortem examination, six (2.4%) were falsely identified as positive on ultrasound examination. The sensitivity and specificity of ultrasound examination for detecting hydatid cysts in sheep and goats was 54.36% and 97.64%, respectively (positive predictive value: 80.64%; negative predictive value: 92.19%).