Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound最新文献

Early detection of renal deficient function is imperative for the success of treatments and determining prognosis. In horses, a renal ultrasound can be performed through the abdominal wall (TA) or transrectally (TR), being an important tool for the evaluation of the kidneys. Besides renal morphology, resistivity (RI) and pulsatility indexes (PI) may be early tools to detect renal injury as they reflect arterial compliance. Twenty-nine healthy adult horses were sonographically evaluated by TA and TR approaches, measuring RI and PI on both kidneys. The mean values from the TA for RI and PI in the right kidney were, respectively, 0.577 ± 0.072 and 0.950 ± 0.182, and 0.553 ± 0.077 and 0.884 ± 0.163 in the left kidney. As for the TR, the mean values for RI and PI in the right kidney were 0.543 ± 0.096 and 0.848 ± 0.212, respectively, and 0.551 ± 0.089 and 0.888 ± 0.204 in the left kidney. No differences (two-way ANOVA) were observed between the left and right kidneys [RI (p = .31) and PI (p = .24)] nor between techniques for both RI and PI, being relevant to state that data on the right kidney by the TR technique did not allow a reliable statistical evaluation. Obtaining good quality TR images in larger horses and satisfactory TA images in obese horses were important differences for each examination technique. In conclusion, there were no differences in RI and PI values obtained from abdominal or transrectal approaches.

Evaluating the morphological changes of the tympanic bulla and the contrast enhancement (CE) patterns are key factors in diagnosing otitis media and predicting its underlying etiology. However, limited research exists on the CE patterns of the tympanic bulla in cats with bulla effusion. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence and patterns of CE in the tympanic bulla based on the presence and severity of bulla effusion in cats. Feline head CT or brain MRI images from six institutions were analyzed. Transverse pre- and postcontrast CT and MRI images were reviewed to assess the presence and severity of bulla effusion, along with the presence, pattern, and location of tympanic bulla CE. A total of 644 tympanic bullae from 322 cats were included. Bulla effusion was detected in 105 of 644 bullae, while CE was observed in 73 of 644 bullae: 5 of 539 bullae without effusion and 68 of 105 bullae with effusion. CE was significantly more common in cats with bulla effusion, with the incidence increasing as effusion severity progressed. Focal rim enhancement, predominantly localized to the dorsal aspect of the tympanic bulla, was the most frequent enhancement pattern. In cases with mild or moderate bulla effusion, only focal dorsal enhancement was observed. However, in cats with severe bulla effusion, additional patterns, including focal ventral or lateral, complete rim, and internal enhancement, emerged. These findings suggest that both the incidence and patterns of CE evolve with the progression of bulla effusion in cats and that focal dorsal enhancement may be an early indicator.

A 13-year-old male neutered Labradoodle presented with a 1-year history of gagging, retching, coughing, and stridor. Physical examination revealed large pedunculated tonsillar masses, confirmed by CT imaging to be obstructing the upper airway, and concurrent laryngeal paralysis. The larger mass, originating from the left tonsillar crypt, extended into the nasopharynx, while a smaller mass was identified on the right. A bilateral tonsillectomy was performed, histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of tonsillar polyps and postoperative recovery was uneventful. Based on our literature research, this is the first reported case of bilateral tonsillar polyps in a dog described on CT.

A 3-year-old neutered male Labrador Retriever was referred for investigation of a painless, palpable swelling on the right shoulder. Computed tomography identified a well-defined mass with attenuation characteristics of fat, soft tissue, and mineralization. A surgical excision followed by histopathology confirmed an ossifying chondrolipoma. Postoperative follow-up showed no complications or recurrence at the 6-month recheck. Ossifying chondrolipoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of soft tissue neoplasms.

In small animal practice, patients often present with urinary lithiasis, and prediction of urolith composition is essential to determine the appropriate treatment. Through abdominal radiographs, the composition of mineral radiopaque uroliths can be determined by considering many different factors; this can be complex and, as such, tailor-made for the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The Minnesota Urolith Center partnered with Hill's Pet Nutrition to develop a deep learning AI algorithm (CALCurad) within a smartphone application called the MN Urolith Application that allows for the preliminary assessment of urolith composition. The algorithm provides the probability of a urolith being composed of struvite from an image taken of an abdominal radiograph. This pilot study evaluates the accuracy of the CALCurad in the context of clinical practice. A sample population of 139 dogs was considered, and the results obtained by the CALCurad were compared with the results obtained by infrared spectroscopy analysis. Agreement between the application and quantitative analyses was 81.3%. These results suggest that the CALCurad can effectively be used to predict urolith composition in dogs, helping the clinician to decide between medical and surgical management of the patient. The use of the CALCurad is an example of the usefulness of AI in helping veterinarians make clinical decisions in patient care.

Sacroiliitis is a rare pathology recently reported in the veterinary literature, mainly in large-breed dogs. The main associated clinical signs are lumbosacral pain and/or lameness of one or both hindlimbs. However, it is a nonspecific presentation and can be mistaken for other clinical disorders with a higher prevalence, such as caudal lumbar disc herniation or degenerative lumbosacral stenosis, among others. The present report describes the MRI findings in a German shepherd dog with unilateral sacroiliitis secondary to a possible trauma and the relevance of advanced imaging techniques in these patients.

A 3-year-old male castrated domestic ferret presented with a 24 h history of lethargy, weakness, and anorexia. The ferret was tachypneic, painful, dehydrated, pale, and obtunded on physical examination. Radiographs and thoracic CT were utilized to diagnose a 360° right cranial lung lobe torsion (LLT) with secondary pneumothorax and pleural effusion. This was confirmed on gross necropsy and histopathology. The LLT was suspected to be secondary to previous trauma based on chronic bilateral rib fractures. Lung lobe torsions are life-threatening conditions infrequently described in veterinary medicine. Based on our review of the literature, this is the first description of an LLT in a ferret.

The identification of a solitary splenic mass on abdominal ultrasound is a common occurrence; however, diagnosis based on imaging alone remains a challenge. Multiple studies have tried to identify key characteristics that denote a benign or malignant lesion before splenectomy. Differential diagnoses commonly include hemangiosarcoma, hematoma, extramedullary hematopoiesis, and lymphoid hyperplasia. While comprehensive, this list fails to consider the less frequent neoplasms such as splenic stromal sarcoma. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate 13 dogs diagnosed with canine splenic stromal sarcoma and determine common characteristics noted on abdominal ultrasound. Masses were solid, without evidence of cavitation, and arising from the mid-body of the spleen. While abdominal ultrasound does not provide a definitive diagnosis for splenic stromal sarcoma, it should be considered when identifying a solitary, solid, noncavitary splenic mass.

A 4-year-old Nigerian Dwarf wether presented for chronic regurgitation and cervical swelling of three years duration. Physical examination revealed a large ventral cervical mass. The goat made repeated attempts to swallow and regurgitate, but the mass did not change significantly in size. Cervical radiographs revealed segmental esophageal dilation to the level of the thoracic inlet. CT revealed a transitional seventh cervical vertebra with fused right and left ribs, resulting in extramural esophageal compression and obstruction at the level of the thoracic inlet. This is the first report of a cervical rib causing megaesophagus in a goat.

There has been increasing interest in the literature on primary thyroid diseases in guinea pigs, which are believed to be underdiagnosed. This study describes the size and characteristics of the thyroid gland on ultrasound (US) and CT examinations in the guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) without evidence of thyroid pathology and examines the possible use of US as a routine examination for thyroid diseases. This prospective and anatomical study included 20 guinea pigs that underwent CT for dental pathologies and US for thyroid gland (TG) examination. Based on US and CT images, this study evaluated the thyroid lobe dimensions (length, height, and width) and shape. Echogenicity and homogeneity were assessed on US images, and attenuation values (HU) and homogeneity were evaluated on CT images. All animals underwent CT and US examinations under anesthesia. Thyroid lobes appeared more frequently as fusiform on CT (65%) and oval on US scans (67.5%). The attenuation values on CT scans were homogeneous. On the US scans, the TG was more frequently hypoechoic. No statistically significant differences were found between the size of the right and left thyroid lobes, both with CT and US. A statistically significant difference was found between the length values on CT and US. The US and CT thyroid gland dimensions, shape, and appearance were described. Both CT and US are useful techniques for evaluating the TG in guinea pigs.