Dynamic computed tomographic quantitation of hepatic perfusion in dogs with and without portal vascular anomalies

OBJECTIVE: To compare hepatic, pancreatic, and gastric perfusion on dynamic computed tomography (CT) scans of clinically normal dogs with those of dogs with portal vascular anomalies. SAMPLE POPULATION: Dynamic computed tomography (CT) scans of 10 clinically normal dogs and 21 dogs with portal vascular anomalies. PROCEDURES: Retrospective analysis of dynamic CT scans. Hepatic arterial perfusion, hepatic portal perfusion, total hepatic perfusion, hepatic perfusion index, gastric perfusion, and pancreatic perfusion were calculated from time attenuation curves. RESULTS: Mean +/- hepatic arterial perfusion was significantly higher in affected dogs (0.57 +/- 0.27 mL/min x mL(-1)) than in clinically normal dogs (0.23 +/- 0.11 mL/min x mL(-1)), and hepatic portal perfusion was significantly lower in affected dogs (0.52 +/- 0.47 mL/min x mL(-1)) than in clinically normal dogs (1.08 +/- 0.45 mL/min x mL(-1)). This was reflected in the hepatic perfusion index, which was significantly higher in affected dogs (0.59 +/- 0.34), compared with clinically normal dogs (0.19 +/- 0.07). Gastric perfusion was significantly higher in dogs with portal vascular anomalies (0.72 +/- 0.44 mL/min x mL(-1)) than in clinically normal dogs (0.41 +/- 0.21 mL/min x mL(-1)), but total hepatic perfusion and pancreatic perfusion were not significantly different. Among subgroups, dogs with congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunts and dogs with arterioportal fistulae had higher hepatic arterial perfusion than did clinically normal dogs. Dogs with congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunts also had an increase in gastric perfusion and hepatic perfusion index. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Hepatic perfusion variables measured on CT scans revealed differences in hemodynamics between clinically normal dogs and those with portal vascular anomalies.