RADIOGRAPHIC AND ANGIOGRAPHIC EVALUATIONS OF FERRETS EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED WITH DIROFILARIA IMMITIS

Five ferrets of each sex were each inoculated with 15 third-stage infective larvae of Dirofilaria immitis to study radiographic and angiographic changes in the cardiopulmonary system following heartworm infection; 5 additional ferrets of each sex served as noninfected controls. Prior to inoculation and every 8 weeks thereafter until 40 weeks, the infected and noninfected ferrets were radiographed; angiographic examinations were done prior to necropsy. At necropsy, the worms in the heart, lungs, and associated vessels were counted, and lung histosections were prepared and examined for changes. Radiographic changes were seen in the right side of the heart and associated vessels of infected ferrets as compared with the noninfected ferrets, but changes were less prominent than those seen in heartworm-infected dogs and cats. The changes were primarily an increase in the size of the right side of the heart, especially the right atrium. Radiographically, no changes could be visualized in the pulmonary vascular system. Worms in the enlarged cranial vena cava, azygous vein, and left caudal lobar pulmonary artery of infected animals were delineated by angiography. Histologically, no changes were seen in the pulmonary vascular tissues.     

SONOGRAPHIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH SPLENIC TORSION IN THE DOG

The clinical, radiographic, and sonographic signs in three dogs with splenic torsion are presented. AH dogs exhibited weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy. Splenomegaly was consistent radiographic finding in two dogs and large ill-defined midabdominal mass was seen in one dog. The spleen was easily imaged sonographically in all dogs. Splenic sonography in two dogs showed diffuse, hypoechoic pattern consistent with splenic congestion. Hilar splenic vessels were enlarged on the sonograms of two dogs.     

RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN THE THORAX OF DOGS WITH LEPTOSPIRAL INFECTION

Thoracic radiographs of 4 dogs with confirmed and 1 dog with suspected leptospirosis were reviewed. In all dogs a reticulonodular pulmonary opacity was noted, affecting the entire lung in 3 and predominantly the caudodorsal lung field in 2 dogs. The radiographic lung pattern described is associated with pulmonary hemorrhage probably due to endothelial damage and vasculitis. Pulmonary manifestations in dogs with leptospirosis may be misinterpreted and attributed to neoplasia, pneumonia, edema, hemorrhage due to disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, adult respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary thromboembolism.     

THORACIC RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN DOGS INFECTED WITH RICKETTSIA RICKETTSII

Sixteen beagle dogs were injected intradermally with Rickettsia rickettsii. The dogs were divided into four groups (n=4):1) infected, non-treated withdoxycycline;3) infected, treated with doxycycline and an anti-inflammatory dose of corticosteroid;4) infected, treated with ocular fluoresein angiograhphy was performed on days 6, 10, 17 post-inoculatin.A mild interstitial lung opacitywas noted in4/16 dogs on day 6, 5/16 on day 10 and 17 post-inculatin. Increased retinal vascular permeability was noted n 8/16 dogs on day 6,3/16 on day 10 and 1/16 on day 17 post-inoculation. Correlatin between the presence of radiographic and retinal lesions was not signigicant (p=0.08). Elevan, naturally infected, dogs with thoracic radiographs and an final diagnosis of RMSF were also evluated. Four of the 11 dogs had an unstructu4red inteerstitial pattern. Dogs with acute, experimentally-infected or naturally-occurring RMSF may have subtle pulmonary changes characterized by an unstructured interstitial patteern.     

CORRELATION BETWEEN THORACIC RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES AND REMISSION/SURVIVAL DURATION IN 270 DOGS WITH LYMPHOSARCOMA

A retrospective study was undertaken wherein the medical records and thoracic radiographs of 270 dogs with lymphosarcoma were reviewed to determine the type and frequency of thoracic radiographic changes. Statistical evaluation of the relationship between radiographic, clinical and immunologic factors and the primary remission duration and survival times was performed using univariate and multivariate analysis. One hundred ninety-two dogs (71 %) had some type of thoracic radiographicabnormality, including 80 dogs (29.6%) with pulmonary infiltrates and 164 dogs (64.4%) with thoracic lymphadenomegaly. Only T-cell phenotype (p = 0.0056 for survival, p = 0.0045 for remission) and the presence of cranial mediastinal lymphadenomegaly (p = 0.0005 for survival, p = 0.0129 for remission) were identified as having a significant negative correlation to both primary remission and survival duration by multivariate analysis.     

RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN TEN DOGS WITH THORACIC ACTINOMYCOSIS

The radiographic findings in ten dogs with thoracic actinomycosis are presented. Radiographic findins varied, but pleural effusion, pulmonary infiltrates and mediastinal masses were most commonly found. Rib involvement, commonly accompanying actinomycosis in man, was present in only one dog. The differential diagnosis of actinomycosis includes many disease entities, but based on the radiographic signs it may be possible to narrow down the number of possiblities considerably. A combination of mediastinal or pulmonary masses, pleural effusion and encapsulated fluid is strongly indicative for actinomycosis. For confirmation a bacteriological examination is indicated.     

雏鸡成髓细胞性白血病强毒感染后超氧化物歧化酶活性的变化

３日龄肉用ＡＡ雏鸡成髓细胞性白血病强毒（ｖＡＭＶ）人工感染后,鸡成髓细胞性白血病（ＡＭＢ）发病率８６．７％、死亡率７０％,脾脏、胸腺、法氏囊、心脏、肝脏、肾脏和性腺超氧化物歧化酶（ＳＯＤ）活性与健康对照雏鸡相比,Ｔ－ＳＯＤ和Ｍｎ－ＳＯＤ活性于１０日龄时均极显著升高（Ｐ＜０．０１）,于１７日龄时则极显著下降（Ｐ＜０．０１）,以后日龄亦有明显降低（Ｐ＜０．０５,Ｐ＜０．０１）,而Ｃｕ,Ｚｎ－ＳＯＤ活性于１０和２４日龄无明显变化（Ｐ＞０．０５）、１７日龄时显著或极显著降低（Ｐ＜０．０５,Ｐ＜０．０１）,３０日龄则明显升高（Ｐ＜０．０５,Ｐ＜０．０１）。     

雏鸡感染CIAV后细胞因子与免疫功能变化

本实验研究了１日龄雏鸡感染ＣＩＡＶ后免疫器官Ｔ细胞的ＩＬ－２、ＩＦＮ、ＣＳＦ诱生活性、Ｔ细胞与Ｂ细胞增殖反应的动态变化。结果表明，雏鸡感染ＣＩＡＶ后：（１）胸腺和脾脏Ｔ细胞ＩＬ－２诱生活性分别于７～２１ｄ不１７～１４ｄ明显降低；（２）脾脏淋巴细胞ＩＦＮ诱生活性于７～１４ｄ显著减弱；（３）胸腺淋巴细胞ＣＳＦ诱生活性于１４ｄ未见异常，２１ｄ明显升高；（４）胸腺和脾脏Ｔ细胞增殖反应分别于１４ｄ和７～２１ｄ明显减弱：（５）法氏囊和脾脏Ｂ细胞增殖反应分别于７～２１ｄ和２１ｄ显著减弱；（６）胸腺重量与体重比值、法氏囊重量与体重比值、体重均明显降低；（７）外周血液ＰＣＶ、ＲＢＣ、Ｈｂ、ＷＢＣ、血栓细胞（血小板）数值均明显降低。     

CORRELATION OF RADIOGRAPHIC, NECROPSY AND HISTOLOGIC FINDINGS IN 8 DOGS WITH ELBOW DYSPLASIA

Elbow dysplasia is osteoarthrosis/degenerative joint disease due to abnormal development of the elbow joint. The abnormaldevelopment is the result of specific inherited etiologies alone or in combination. This paper attempts to clarify the diagnosis of elbow dysplasia based on the presence of degenerative joint disease by correlating rediographic necropsy, necropsy, and histopathologic results using elbows from 8 German Shepherd dogs. All elbows had radiographic changes consistent with osteoarthrosis/degenerativejoint disease which were identified best on the flexedmedial-lateral projection. Radiographically, a specific diagnosis was made inseven elbows; ununited anconeal process(6) and osteochondrosis (1). At necropsy these lesions were confirmed plus 14 elbows were identified that had fragmented medial coronoid process (6), abnormally shaped medial coronoid processes of fissures in the articualr cartilage of the medial coronoid process (8). additionally, histopathologically there was proliferative synovitis at the radial notch of the ulna and degenerative changes on the proximal, nonarticualr surface of the anconeal process at the site of insertion of the olecranon ligament and joint capsule.Therefore, for screening the elbow joint to identify elbow dysplasia, the recognition of osteoarthrosis/degenerative joint disease on an extreme flexed mediolateral rediograph appears to be sufficient.     

RADIOGRAPHIC CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH DIGITAL, METACARPAL AND METATARSAL TUMORS, AND PODODERMATITIS IN THE DOG

Fifty-two of digital, metacarpal or metatarsal canine tumors and 48 pododermatitis lesions were reviewed retrospectively. The tumors were divided into 42 malignant neoplasms, 6 benign neoplasms and 4 non-neoplastic tumor-like growths. The distribution and radiographic changes of the lesions associated with the tumors and inflammation were compared. Pododermatitis and benign processes could not be radiographically differentiated from malignant neoplasms of the foot; however, lesions exhibiting osteolysis were more likely (p < 0.05) to be associated with malignant neoplasms.     

RADIOGRAPHIC FINDINGS IN DOGS WITH SPONTANEOUS PULMONARY THROMBOSIS OR EMBOLISM

Thoracic radiographs of 21 dogs with necropsy-confirmed pulmonary thrombosis or embolism (PTE) were reviewed. Two major lung patterns were seen: (1) regional oligemia, giving the impression of a hyperlucent zone; (2) alveolar pulmonary infiltrate, indicating hemorrhage or infarction. Hemorrhage and infarction could not be differentiated radiographically. Other common findings were attenuation or loss of visualization of a lobar artery or lobar vein and pleural effusion, particularly with infarction and cardiac disease. PTE was often associated with renal disease (glomerulonephritis, amyloidosis), septic processes, pancreatitis, systemic venous or right heart thrombosis, cardiac insufficiency, and hypercorticism.     

RADIOGRAPHIC ASPECTS OF GASTRIC ULCERS IN DOGS

This paper is a retrospective analysis of the radiographic appearance of one benign and four malignant gastric ulcers in dogs. The benign gastric was diagnosed radiographically following gastric surgery and was healed at necropsy 28 months after diagnosis. Malignant gastric ulcers were confirmed at surgery and/or necropsy. None of the five ulcers penetrated the normally expected gastric contour. Mucosal fold pattern was either partially or completely effaced with all five ulcers. Undermining appeared to be present asymmetrically in the benign and one malignant ulcer, and symmetrically in one malignant ulcer. Tissue surrounding the ulcers joined the normal gastric wall very abruptly in three malignant ulcers. This transition was more gradual in the benign ulcer and was not identified in one malignant ulcer. None of these ulcers completely fit the criteria used in people to diagnose benign gastric ulcer. Prospective evaluation of more cases with a more thorough radiographic technique is needed     

SCINTIGRAPHIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF THE SACROILIAC REGION IN HORSES WITH GAIT ABNORMALITIES OR POOR PERFORMANCE

Nuclear bone scintigraphy is commonly used in the diagnosis of sacroiliac disease in horses. The aim of the present retrospective study was to determine if there was an association between radiopharmaceutical uptake pattern and radiographic appearance of the sacroiliac region in horses. Seventy-nine horses undergoing bone scintigraphy with Tc-99 m-HDP and radiography of the pelvis because of lameness or poor performance were studied. Subjective and semiquantitative methods were used to characterize and compare radiopharmaceutical uptake between horses. Ventrodorsal radiographs of the region were obtained and were evaluated. Subjectively, 70 horses (88.6%) had an abnormal uptake pattern. In nine horses, the sacroiliac region was normal (11.4%). There was no association between subjective evaluation of the scintigraphic images and semiquantitative methods. There was a significant association between radiopharmaceutical uptake and conformation (T- or Y-like form) and shape (butterfly-, wing-, leaf-, or horn-like) of the sacrum. The radiopharmaceutical uptake of the tubera sacralia was significantly higher in males (left side P =0.002, right side P =0.003). In conclusion, the conformation of the sacrum may play an important role in the scintigraphic appearance and may be the cause of increased radiopharmaceutical uptake.     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF AORTIC LESIONS IN 42 DOGS WITH SPIROCERCOSIS

Spirocerca lupi is a common cause of vomiting, regurgitation, and sudden death in dogs that live in tropical or subtropical regions. Sudden death due to aortic rupture may occur with no preceding clinical signs. The purpose of this prospective study was to compare radiographic and computed tomographic (CT) characteristics of aortic lesions in a cohort of 42 dogs with endoscopically confirmed spirocercosis. Dorsoventral and right lateral recumbent thoracic radiographic findings were compared with pre‐ and postcontrast thoracic CT findings. Aortic mineralization was detected using CT in 18/42 dogs (43%). Three dogs had faint diffuse aortic wall mineralization. Using CT as the reference standard, radiographs had a sensitivity and specificity of 6% and 96%, respectively, for detecting aortic mineralization. A total of 20 aortic aneurysms were detected using CT in 15/42 dogs (36%). Using CT as the reference standard, radiographs had a sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 56%, respectively, for detecting aortic aneurysms. Respiratory motion, aortic displacement by esophageal masses and Spirocerca nodules adjacent to the aorta mimicked aneurysm formation on radiographs. Aortic thrombi were seen in two dogs in postcontrast CT images. Findings from this study indicated that aortic mineralization and aneurysm formation are common in dogs with spirocercosis. Findings also supported the use of pre‐ and postcontrast CT as effective methods for detecting and characterizing these lesions.     

RADIOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS OF GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS IN THE FOAL

Abdominal discomfort in the foal presents a diagnostic challenge, because the small size of the foal precludes rectal palpation. Standing lateral horizontal beam abdominal radiographs using conventional techniques were evaluated as a diagnostic aid to identify the presence and location of gastrointestinal disorders in foals presented with colic. Forty foals were radiographed prior to surgery (20 foals), necropsy (7 foals), or clinical diagnosis (13 foals). Clinical, surgical, or necropsy findings were then correlated to radiographic findings. Gastrointestinal disease was accurately identified on radiographs as the source of colic in 25 of 26 foals that had surgical or postmortem confirmation. The site of disease, whether gastric, small intestinal, large intestinal, or a combination, was accurately determined from radiographs. Standing lateral abdominal radiographs were determined to be a valuable diagnostic aid in the foal presented with colic.     

RADIOGRAPHIC AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC CHANGES AND CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF SPIROCERCOSIS IN THE DOG

A retrospective study of 39 dogs with spirocercosis is described, emphasizing radiographic and computed tomographic aspects and clinical presentation. Dogs were classified as complicated or uncomplicated, both clinically and radiographically. Besides the expected upper gastrointestinal signs, a high incidence of respiratory (77%) and locomotor (23%) complications were present. All dogs had thoracic radiographs. Esophageal masses were radiographically classified as typical or atypical according to their location. Twenty-seven dogs had a typical caudal esophageal mass. Six dogs had a mass atypically located in the hilar region. These masses were smaller and more difficult to visualize radiographically. The remaining 6 dogs did not have a radiographically detectable esophageal mass. Radiology as an initial diagnostic tool was effective in detecting and localizing the mass and to detect early respiratory abnormalities such as pleuritis, mediastinitis, pneumonia, and bronchial displacement. Endoscopy was the modality of choice to confirm antemortem esophageal masses. In dogs where the mass filled the whole esophageal lumen, endoscopy failed to give essential information necessary for surgical excision of neoplastic masses, such as the extent of esophageal wall attachment. Caudal esophageal sphincter involvement was difficult to determine endoscopically with large caudal esophageal masses. Computed tomography was performed on 3 dogs and did not address the latter problems completely, but was found to be a sensitive tool to detect focal aortic mineralization and early spondylitis, both typical for the disease, and essential in the diagnosis of non- or extramural esophageal abnormalities.     

THE RADIOGRAPHIC APPEARANCE OF PULMONARY HISTOPLASMOSIS IN THE CAT

A retrospective study of 18 cats with pulmonary histoplasmosis was conducted to evaluate radiographic patterns of disease and to determine age, breed, and sex distributions. All cats had active disease confirmed by biopsy/aspiration cytology (lung, bone marrow, peripheral lymph nodes, pleural fluid) or necropsy examination. Cats 3 years of age or less had the highest incidence of disease; females outnumbered males 2 to 1. Radiographically, most cats had an interstitial pattern which appeared as a fine, diffuse or linear pattern, or as a more distinct nodular pattern. An alveolar pattern was an uncommon radiographic finding. Tracheobronchial lymphadenopathy and calcified lymph nodes or pulmonary parenchymal lesions were not identified in these cats.