The feasibility of contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in the diagnosis of non-cardiac thoracic disorders of dogs and cats

BMC Veterinary Research

Research Article

P. Pey¹  N. Linta²  G. Bettini²  A. Cordella²  A. Diana²  M. Baron Toaldo²  M. Quinci²  M. Cipone²  V. Galli³ 

[1] ANTECH Imaging Services, 17672-B Cowan Avenue, 92614, Irvine, CA, USA;Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra 50, I-40064, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy;Freelance sonographer, Rome, Italy;

关键词: Small animals;    Contrast medium;    Ultrasonography;    Tumor;    Lung;    Mediastinum;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12917-017-1061-0

 received in 2016-06-30, accepted in 2017-05-17,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundThis study describes the feasibility of Contrast Enhanced Ultrasonography (CEUS) in the diagnostic work-up of non-cardiac thoracic disorders of small animals. The second aim is to assess the usefulness of CEUS as a direct guide for sample procedures.ResultsForty animals, 28 dogs and 12 cats, were included in the study. Thoracic disorders included 23 pulmonary lesions [primary carcinoma (14), lymphoma (1), sarcoma (1), histiocytic sarcoma (1), abscess (1) and pneumonia (5)] and 17 mediastinal lesions [lymphoma (8), thymoma (3), mesothelioma (1), melanoma (1), carcinomatous lymphadenopathy (1), mixsosarcoma (1), lipoma (1), and abscess (1)]. The majority of neoplastic pulmonary lesions showed an inhomogeneous distribution of contrast medium, whereas inflammatory lesions had a homogenous distribution with typical pulmonary vessels ramification. The majority of mediastinal malignant lesions showed an inhomogeneous distribution pattern. The lung and mediastinal abscesses had peripheral enhancement of the wall with an avascular center. All cytological and biopsy samples obtained after CEUS were diagnostic. Quantitative analysis, performed in 19/23 pulmonary lesions, showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001) between the arrival time of the malignant (7.27 s - range 4.46–13.52 s) and benign (4.52 s - range 2.87–6.06 s) pulmonary lesions.ConclusionsCEUS may be a useful tool for the evaluation of non-cardiac thoracic lesions. The contrast medium allows for the precise definition of lesion edges, the presence of necrotic areas, and the distribution of pulmonary vessels.Based on our preliminary results, the use of ultrasonographic contrast medium can be recommended for improving the diagnostic usefulness of cytology and biopsy sampling, because CEUS may help to define necrotic areas from viable tissue.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017