Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound最新文献

A 9-year-old male's entire Boston Terrier was presented with persistent hyporexia and weight loss for 6 weeks prior to referral admission. A CT scan showed marked hypertrophy of the rugal folds protruding into the gastric lumen, which had a cerebriform appearance. Changes were consistent with the ultrasonographic findings, which showed marked hyperechogenicity of the gastric mucosa, mucosal cysts, and otherwise normal wall layering. Histopathology of the fundic gastric mucosa showed foveolar hyperplasia and cystic dilation which were findings consistent with Ménétrier-like disease. Based on the reviewed literature, this is the first case report describing CT findings of Ménétrier-like disease in a dog.

A dog presented with a 1-month history of left-sided hemiparesis. MRI showed a focal, 4-cm-long, symmetrical, ovoid, poorly demarcated intramedullary expansion at C6-C7 that was T2-weighted hyperintense, T1-weighted isointense, and noncontrast enhancing. After clinical progression and euthanasia, pathology revealed a neoplasm composed of astrocytes and dysmorphic neurons, consistent with a ganglioglioma. The diagnosis was confirmed with immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy, which demonstrated electron-dense granules in the perikaryon. Gangliogliomas are rare, benign neoplasms that may present as intramedullary spinal cord neoplasia. This is the first report on the clinical presentation, imaging, and pathology of a canine spinal ganglioglioma.

A 3-year-old cat was presented for an abdominal ultrasound examination with apathy and anemia. The US revealed the enlargement of the left kidney with a hypoechoic subcapsular thickening. An abnormal, tortuous vessel was visible in the medulla with arterial flow on pulsed-wave Doppler examination. The CT examination confirmed the ultrasound findings and a presumptive diagnosis of the intraparenchymal renal aneurysm was made. Four days later, the cat presented again with a worsening of its condition. The US features were suggestive for that of an aneurysm rupture.

Intramuscular administration is a commonly used method for delivering sedatives and anesthetics in veterinary medicine. Previous studies have reported inflammation at the intramuscular injection site in laboratory animals and observed signal changes on MRI following intramuscular injections in humans. We hypothesized that following intramuscular injection, the site would exhibit T2 hyperintensity and contrast enhancement on MRI. To investigate this, this prospective study evaluated the pattern of signal changes and grade of T2 signal intensity and contrast enhancement over time after the intramuscular injection of medetomidine at a premedication dosage, comparing it to saline. MRI scans were performed immediately postinjection into the biceps femoris and quadriceps femoris muscles, as well as at 2, 8, 24, and 72 h, and 7 days postinjection. A semiquantitative scale was utilized to grade signal intensity and contrast enhancement. Both medetomidine and saline injections showed T2 hyperintensity immediately after injection and contrast enhancement from 2 h postinjection, manifesting as flame-shaped. These signal changes decreased up to 24 h postinjection (p < .05). The signal changes induced by medetomidine showed higher T2 hyperintense change and stronger contrast enhancement compared with saline at most time points, with the signal changes persisting for a longer duration (p < .05). These findings suggest that intramuscular administration of medetomidine induces a more severe tissue reaction compared with saline, and the results are expected to aid in the differentiation of various muscle diseases that present with similar MRI findings.

A 3-year-old neutered male domestic medium-hair cat presented for sudden onset of vomiting and anorexia. Ultrasonographically, severe distension of the cecum by hyperechoic material associated with variable posterior attenuation was identified. The cecum was surgically excised. A retention cyst cecal mucocele complicated by mucosal ulceration and inflammation was diagnosed. A literature review of this well-described lesion in humans, once described in dogs but as yet undescribed in cats, is briefly presented.

The vertebral heart scale (VHS) is widely known and used as an objective standard for the evaluation of cardiomegaly on thoracic radiographs. It, therefore, plays an important role in assessing the severity of canine heart disease. The body condition score (BCS) is a nine-scale body condition scoring system used to objectively document the body condition in dogs. Obese animals have widened precardiac and postcardiac mediastinum, fat deposits between the sternum and lungs or heart, as well as increased pericardial fat. These conditions could complicate cardiac silhouette evaluation and could, therefore, result in higher interobserver variability in the assessment of VHS. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether overweight dogs (BCS 6/9, 7/9, 8/9, and 9/9) have more variability in the interobserver VHS measurement compared with dogs with a normal BCS (BCS 4/9 and 5/9). The dogs were admitted to a private referral center for different medical reasons. The VHS was measured by three trained observers in right lateral radiographs of 18 overweight dogs and 33 dogs with a normal BCS. Bland-Altmann plots were constructed, and limits of agreement were calculated to show the variability of VHS measurements. No statistically significant differences in VHS variability were found between BCS categories, observers, sex, or age categories. In conclusion, BCS does not affect the reliability of VHS assessment among trained veterinarians.

An 8-year-old female domestic shorthair, presenting for a 3-day history of lethargy and hyporexia, was obtunded, dehydrated, tachypneic, and had abdominal distension on physical exam with no vaginal discharge or pyrexia. Abdominal radiographs revealed a large, ovoid soft tissue mass and a tortuous, tubular soft tissue structure in the abdomen. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a severely fluid-distended uterus with a left uterine torsion, which was demonstrated by a "whirl sign." Emergency ovariohysterectomy surgically confirmed a 360° torsion of the left uterine horn with a fluid-distended right uterine horn. Histopathology confirmed a diagnosis of pyometra, and the cat recovered uneventfully.

The urinary volume and residual urine volume are pieces of information that can provide relevant clinical data for dogs and cats, especially those hospitalized. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate mathematical formulas described in human and veterinary literature to estimate urinary volume in dogs and experimental models. For this purpose, nine male dog cadavers and twelve experimental models were used to evaluate residual volume, small, medium, and large, using three different formulas. Data were obtained by three different examiners: two ultrasonographers and one nonultrasonographer. Each examiner recorded three longitudinal and transverse images, obtaining measurements of width, length, and height at each proposed volume. The measurements were then averaged, and the result was added to the formulas, thus estimating urinary volume. All three formulas achieved higher accuracy in estimating smaller volumes, with a gradual decrease as urinary volume increased. The error of all formulas was less than 10%, even when compared with evaluations in experimental models and dogs. There was variation in estimation between ultrasonographers and nonultrasonographer examiners; however, this variation was low, allowing for the assertion that both can apply the technique. Thus, it is concluded that estimating urinary bladder volume using mathematical formulas and 2D ultrasound is accurate and, therefore, an alternative and viable option for evaluating the urinary tract.

Radiological observations at the cervicothoracic junction in horses with or without related clinical signs have not been comprehensively described. The aim was to evaluate the seventh cervical (C7) to second thoracic (T2) vertebrae in horses with neck-related clinical signs (neck pain and/or stiffness, neck-related forelimb lameness, or general proprioceptive [spinal] ataxia) and control horses. This prospective analytical cross-sectional study included 127 control horses and 96 cases, examined using standardized clinical and radiological protocols. Univariable logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to identify factors associated with radiological abnormalities. Severe modeling of the articular processes at C7-T1 was more likely in cases compared with controls, OR, 4.25; CI, 1.04-17.36; P = .04. Cases were more likely to have spondylolisthesis at C7-T1 than controls, OR, 3.61; CI, 1.75-7.44; P < .001. There was a lack of uniformity of disc space width at C6-C7, despite normal alignment of the vertebrae, in five (5.2%) cases and no control horses. Discospondylosis was seen in 9 (9.4%) horses at C7-T1 and 10 of 64 (15.6%) at T1-T2. The sagittal ratio for T1 was smaller for horses with neck-related forelimb lameness (P < .0002), neck pain/ stiffness (P = .04), or neurological cases (P < .001) than controls. The prevalence of radiological abnormalities at C7-T1 and T1-T2 highlights the importance of careful evaluation of the cervicothoracic junction in horses with neck-related signs.

Computed tomography is commonly used to evaluate the reptile coelom. One challenge in the acquisition of contrast-enhanced CT studies in reptiles is the difficulty in placing intravenous catheters due to the poor conspicuity of peripheral vessels. To overcome these limitations, intraosseous catheterization of the long bones (humerus, femur, and tibia) can be used. The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the feasibility and diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced CT of the coelom using a femoral intraosseous route for contrast administration. Twelve healthy juvenile green iguanas were enrolled. In 9 of 12 iguanas, vascular phases were obtained, providing strong, homogeneous enhancement of the arterial and venous tree concurrently. In these nine cases, Phase #1, acquired 60 s after beginning the injection of contrast medium, provided maximal contrast between the hepatic parenchyma and hepatic vasculature. In the remaining three cases, injection failure resulted from intracortical placement of the catheter tip. Histological examination of the liver, kidneys, and femur was performed to determine the pathomorphological correlates of the CT findings; in a third of patients, some degree of contrast-induced renal toxicity was documented, which in mammalians shows potential for reversibility. Four iguanas had iatrogenic structural damage to the femoral growth plates attributed to intraosseous catheter placement. A femoral intraosseous route can be used in green iguanas for iodinated contrast medium administration for CT angiography. For the greatest contrast between coelomic organs and vascular structures, at least one postcontrast acquisition 60 s after initiation of contrast administration is recommended when using this technique.