SMALL ANIMAL RADIOLOGY CASE DISCUSSIONSSarah Jones, DVM

CASE 1

• 11 YO MN Beagle

• Acute onset pelvic limb lameness

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

DIAGNOSTICS/OUTCOME

• Ultrasound guided bone aspirate was inconclusive

• Recommended bone scan to rule out other polyostotic lesions

• Ultimately amputation

CASE 2

• 3 month old M Boxer

• Chronic history of vomiting and diarrhea

• Acute worsening 2 days ago

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

DIAGNOSTICS/OUTCOME

CASE 3

• 3 YO MN GSD

• 6 month history of back pain

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

DIAGNOSTICS/OUTCOME

• Abdominal ultrasound

• Suspected pyelonephritis and ureteritis.

• Aortic wall thickening and thrombosis

• Sublumbar lymphadenopathy

• FNA sublumbar lymph nodes

• Cytology: Neutrophilic inflammation with fungal sepsis

• Aspergillus Ag Positive

• Cryptococcus Negative

• Urine cultured fungal organisms

ANOTHER EXAMPLE: DISCOSPONDYLITIS

CASE 4

• 1 YO FS Pit Bull

• Vomiting

WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

ULTRASOUND

ULTRASOUND

ULTRASOUND

ULTRASOUND

DIAGNOSIS/OUTCOME

• ULTRASOUND: Retroperitoneal effusion

• Cytology: Neutrophilic exudate with hemorrhage and lipid, no infectious organisms seen

• OUTCOME: Discharged home with supportive pain management

CASE 5

• 7 YO MN Chihuahua

• Chronic cough

CASE 6

• 6 MO FS DSH

• Respiratory distress

DIAGNOSIS/OUTCOME

• Pneumothorax, likely tension pneumothorax

• Therapeutic thoracocentesis

• Supportive care: Pain medication, antibiotics, IVF

ANOTHER EXAMPLE: PNEUMOTHORAX

QUESTION 1

• What are some radiographic features of aggressive osseous lesions?

1. Cortical disruption

2. Permeative osteolysis

3. Long zone of transition

4. Interrupted, irregular periosteal reaction

5. Poorly demarcated

6. Rapid rate of change

WHICH FEATURES OF THIS LESION COULD BE CHARACTERIZED AS AGGRESSIVE?

QUESTION 2

• What are your differentials for diffusely dilated small intestines?

1. Functional ileus (e.g. enteritis)

2. Distal mechanical obstruction (e.g. foreign body, distal annular neoplasia)

• What does a “gravel sign” indicate?

1. Chronic, partial obstruction

QUESTION 3

• What are a few radiographic differences between spondylosis deformans and discospondylitis?

Discospondylitis: Vertebral end plate irregularity/lysis with surrounding sclerosis

Spondylosis deformans: No end plate lysis. Smoothly marginated periosteal new bone bridging vertebral bodies usually along the ventral and lateral aspects.

QUESTION 4

• How does retroperitoneal effusion appear radiographically?

Border effacement of the kidneys, soft tissue opacity within the retroperitoneal space, ventral deviation of the colon

QUESTION 5

• Define tension pneumothorax. How does it differ from a “routine” pneumothorax on radiographs?

Tension pneumothorax: Progressive build-up of air within the pleural space without escape of air.

On radiographs, tension pneumothorax results in mediastinal shift with collapse of the ipsilateral lung and compression of the contralateral lung.

THANK YOU!!• Questions?

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