COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY-GUIDED PERCUTANEOUS BIOPSY: CRITERIA FOR ACCURATE NEEDLE TIP IDENTIFICATION

Precise localization of the needle tip during CT-guided percutaneous biopsy is considered to be a key element of a successful procedure. To ensure accuracy, the true needle tip must be differentiated from a false or simulated tip which appears when the CT slice encompasses only the shaft of an angled needle. By obtaining images of an aspiration biopsy needle inserted vertically into a phantom and then incrementally tilting the gantry, the authors were able to compare the characteristic features of the true tip to the simulated tip. The true tip was abrupt and distinct and had an adjacent flame-like low density artifact. The simulated tip was indistinct and tapered, yet still produced the adjacent artifact. We concluded that the shape and distinctness of the end portion of the needle itself, rather than the attendant artifact, were the most reliable criteria for accurate needle tip identification.     

多层螺旋CT与核磁共振血管成像、数字减影对主动脉夹层诊断的比较研究

目的：比较多层螺旋CT(multi-slice spiral CT，MSCT)与核磁共振血管成像(MRA)、数字减影(DSA)对主动脉夹层(aortic dissection，AD)的诊断价值。方法：对17例AD患者行MSCT检查，并与MRA、DSA的检查结果进行比较。结果：对17例AD患者用MSCT、MRA、DSA都能作出诊断(按DeBakey分型，Ⅰ型有4例，Ⅱ型有1例，Ⅲ型有12例)，但只有MSCT能明确显示夹层的范围和分支的受累情况，以及剥离内膜瓣、裂口及主动脉的周围情况。而MRA对裂口的检出率只有21．74％，DSA可达87．0％。结论：MSCT对AD的分型以及破裂口的定位诊断更具准确性，对动脉分支显示更清晰。     

绵羊自然铅镉中毒骨骼损伤的X线特征

对自然铅镉中毒绵羊骨骼损伤的X线特征及骨组织重金属元素的沉积进行了系统研究。结果表明，由于重金属元素在骨骼中的高度蓄积，致使骨中Ca,P代谢紊乱，重金属中毒呈现以骨质疏松为特征的骨营养不良。头颅、胸部及四肢X线摄影检查显示，病羊骨骼主要病理变化是普遍性骨质疏松，牙齿磨灭不齐，四肢长骨密度减低，骨皮质变薄，骨髓腔增宽，骨小梁稀少，骨指数显著低于健康羊（P＜0．05）。     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS—URETHROVAGINAL FISTULA CAUSED BY A MIGRATING GRASS AWN IN THE VAGINA

A young intact female dog was presented with urinary incontinence. Abdominal ultrasound revealed the presence of hyperechoic linear structures within the cranial vagina suggestive of foreign material. A computed tomography (CT) retrograde vaginourethrogram demonstrated the presence of a fistulous tract between the urethra and vagina. A presumptive diagnosis of urethrovaginal fistula due to migration of foreign material was made. The grass awn was removed with vaginoscopic‐guided retrieval. Fourteen days later, surgical repair of the fistula and an ovariohysterectomy were done. This case report emphasizes the usefulness of CT for diagnosis and precise anatomical localization of genitourinary tract fistulas.     

Accuracy of the modified vertebral heart score and the cardio-vertebral ratio for radiographic evaluation of cardiomegaly in ferrets

Thoracic radiography is commonly used to assess the size of the heart and diagnose cardiac disease in ferrets. Several standardized radiographic heart size indicators have been introduced in this species and values in healthy ferrets have been reported. To date, none of these indicators has been tested in ferrets with cardiac disease. The aim of this prospective and retrospective, analytical observational design study was to assess the accuracy of the modified vertebral heart score (mVHS) and the cardio-vertebral ratio (CVR) in the radiographic detection of cardiomegaly in ferrets. Thoracic radiographs of 24 ferrets with confirmed heart diseases, 22 ferrets with non-cardiac diseases and normal-sized hearts on echocardiogram, and 24 healthy ferrets were mixed and examined by three independent and blinded radiologists who measured mVHS and CVR in right lateral (RL) and ventrodorsal (VD) radiographs. For all readers, ferrets with cardiac disease had significantly higher mVHS and CVR than ferrets without cardiac disease on echocardiography. Optimal cut-points for predicting cardiac enlargement were 6.25 vertebrae and 7.25 vertebrae for RL-mVHS and VD-mVHS, and 1.58 and 1.80 for RL-CVR and VD-CVR, respectively. Using these cut-points, the accuracy was good for indicators measured in RL radiographs (92.9% for RL-mVHS; 91.4% for RL-CVR) and moderate for indicators measured in VD radiographs (88.6% for VD-mVHS; 85.7% for VD-CVR). Findings supported the use of mVHS and CVR for evaluating the size of the heart in diseased ferrets, with caution in values interpretation when pericardial fat prevents precise delineation of the cardiac silhouette contour especially on VD radiographs.     

Prevalence of incidental humeral intracondylar fissures in brachycephalic breed dogs in CT studies

Humeral intracondylar fissures (HIF) have been predominantly reported in spaniel breeds and proposed to be possible risk factors for humeral condyle fractures (HCF). We hypothesized that the prevalence of incidental HIF in French Bulldogs may be greater than that of other brachycephalic breeds. A retrospective, observational, prevalence study was performed using CT examinations of French bulldogs and other brachycephalic breed dogs presenting for an unrelated condition. Two European College of Veterinary Diagnostic and Imaging-certified radiologists reviewed the images of the humeral condyles of these dogs. A classification system was devised to grade the findings. We considered a Score 1 to be normal, Score 2 to have centralised sclerosis, Score 3 to have a partial fissure and Score 4 to have a complete fissure. A total of 228 elbows were reviewed from 122 dogs. Of this population, 145 elbows were from French Bulldogs, 54 were from Pugs, and the remainder were from a mix of other brachycephalic breeds. The prevalence of HIF (score 3 or 4) in elbows of the French bulldog, pug and other breed groups was 6.9% (CI 2.8–11%), 5.6% (CI 0–11.7%), and 3.4% (CI 0–10.15%), respectively. At a dog level, the prevalence of HIF (score 3 or 4 present in at least one elbow) was found to be 11.8% (CI 4.6–19%) in French Bulldogs, 11.1% (CI 0–22.9%) in Pugs, and 5.26% (CI 0–15%) in the other breed group. There was no significant difference between the breed groups. The inter-reviewer reliability for CT scoring of HIF based on Cohen's weighted kappa was low at 0.19.