Morfologia e morfometria do forame magno em cães das raças Poodle Toy e Yorkshire terrier

The occipital dysplasia has been characterized by a dorsal enlargement of the foramen magnum which can vary in size and shape. Clinical signs may be present or not in animals with occipital dysplasia. The purpose of this study was to radiographically analyze the morphology and morphometry of the foramen magnum of thirty healthy dogs. This study chose to use fifteen Yorkshire terrier dogs and fifteen Toy Poodle dogs in order to characterize the radiographic aspects of the foramen magnum and contribute to the diagnosis and critical analysis of the occipital dysplasia importance. According to the foramen magnum morphology and tracings, it was possible to classify the radiographic aspects into different shapes varing from oval and quadrangular. Out of 26 (86.7%) animals had a dorsal enlargement and 4 (13.3%) showed normal foramen magnum. Animals without any clinical signs that are radiographically classified as dysplastic dogs may simply represent an anatomic variation of the foramen magnum.A displasia do occipital é o alargamento dorsal do forame magno, o qual pode variar a sua forma e tamanho e os animais com esta alteração morfológica podem ou não apresentar manifestações clínicas. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar radiograficamente a morfologia e a morfometria do forame magno de 30 cães assintomáticos das raças Poodle toy e Yorkshire terrier, sendo 15 de cada, a fim de se caracterizar os aspectos radiográficos do forame magno e contribuir para o diagnóstico e análise crítica da relevância da displasia do occipital. O forame magno apresentou aspectos que variaram de oval a quadrangular. A presença do alargamento dorsal ocorreu em 26 (86,7%) animais e a ausência em apenas quatro (13,3%). Animais sem manifestações clínicas, que apresentam graus variados de alargamento dorsal e são classificados radiograficamente como displásicos, podem apenas representar variações anatômicas do forame magno

Post Mortem Ultrasound and Computed Tomography Findings of an Extraluminal Urinary Bladder Leiomyoma in a Dog

Background: Neoplasia of the urinary bladder is common in dogs, accounting approximately 0.5 to 1.0 percent of all neoplasms. Most of the neoplasia of the urinary bladder is epithelial in origin and only 10% of urinary bladder neoplasms in dogs are from mesenchymal origin, of which the most frequent types are leiomyoma / leiomyosarcoma, and hemangioma / hemangiosarcoma. Virtual autopsy refers to the postmortem use of radiology, ultrasound and cross-sectional imaging prior to conventional necropsy. This paper reports the detection of a rare extra-luminal urinary bladder mass diagnosed as leiomyoma with a virtual autopsy techniques.Case: A 16-year-old male Schnauzer had previous history of seizure and no complains related to the urinary system. The animal was treated symptomatically to the neurological signs and responded to medical treatment. Nine weeks later from the first visit to the hospital the dog was found dead at home. Then postmortem ultrasound and computed tomography of the abdomen were performed. Postmortem ultrasound revealed a homogenously hypoechoic, rounded and slightly irregularly marginated mass located externally but adjacent to the left cranial wall of the urinary bladder and appears to extend from its serosal margins. Postmortem computed tomography was performed after postmortem ultrasound. A pedunculated homogenous soft tissue attenuating mass was located at the left lateral aspect of the urinary bladder and extended cranially. It had a stalk that connected to the left lateral wall of the urinary bladder. A partial necropsy of the abdomen was done just to examine the mass. A round extraluminal, pedunculated mass was observed at the left lateral aspect of the urinary bladder wall. It was pale pink on the outside and white inside, with a soft to firm consistency. The lumen and mucosal surface of the urinary bladder was smooth and regular. The histology of the mass revealed a densely cellular neoplastic proliferation, expansive, composed of spindle-shaped cells with moderate to large eosinophilic cytoplasm, sometimes wavy and with indistinct edges. The nuclei were large, oval to flattened, with dense chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. Anisocytosis and anisokariosis were discrete and no mitotic figures were observed. The arrangement consisted of dense, irregular and multidirectional bundles and the stroma was scarce. The mass was histologically confirmed as leiomyoma.Discussion: In this case, we performed postmortem ultrasound and computed tomography as part of a virtual necropsy study and in both modalities the urinary bladder mass was able to be identified, followed by a partial necropsy to further investigate the nature of the mass and to collect a sample to obtain the histological diagnosis. A few of the disadvantages of the postmortem ultrasound and computed tomography specially in this case were the lack of color Doppler investigation on ultrasound and the lack of evaluation of the patter of contrast enhancement on computed tomography. These techniques could have added important information related to the vascularity characteristics of the mass in a live patient. This is the first case report in veterinary medicine that describes an extra-luminal pedunculated urinary bladder leiomyoma in a canine patient, and it is emphasized the approach by postmortem ultrasound, postmortem computed tomography and conventional necropsy findings to reach the definitive diagnosis

Protocols of CT angiography post-mortem in dogs

A introdução de radiografias no auxílio à necropsia data de 1898. Atualmente, modalidades de imagem como a tomografia computadorizada e a ressonância magnética post mortem estão sendo empregadas para complementar a necropsia. Os estudos em medicina veterinária sobre a tomografia e angiotomografia computadorizada post mortem estão no início, mas já mostraram o quanto são valiosos para o diagnóstico da causa de óbitos de cães e gatos. Esta tese teve por finalidade elaborar protocolos de angiotomografia computadorizada post mortem em cães, tendo sido dividida em duas partes. Na primeira, objetivou-se descrever a técnica por via inguinal e por via cervical para realização da ATCPM em cães conservados por congelamento. Na segunda, comparar dois diferentes diluentes da mistura com contraste iodado em dois grupos de cadáveres de cães com distintos tempos de óbito na realização de ATCPM. Para tanto foram realizadas ATCPM em um total de 4 cadáveres no primeiro estudo e 8, no segundo, sendo que no primeiro estudo os cadáveres foram congelados até duas horas do óbito e no segundo, a ATCPM foi feita após 2 horas do óbito em um grupo e entre 12h a 16h no segundo grupo, um com diluente PEG e outro com diluente óleo. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que as duas vias de acesso para a realização da ATCPM em cadáveres de cães conservados por congelamento são exequíveis. A via cervical demonstrou ser mais indicada para avalição da cabeça, ao passo que, para avaliação do abdômen, a via de acesso femoral seria de primeira escolha. E que a TCPM e ATCPM, em um tempo de óbito de até 16h, podem ser realizadas sem que haja comprometimento das condições técnicas para realização dos exames e com obtenção de imagens de qualidade para a interpretação. A mistura PEG e contraste iodado hidrossolúvel, no volume testado e em cadáveres com diferentes tempos de óbito, pôde ser utilizada na avaliação do sistema vascular de cadáveres de cães.The introduction of X-rays in the support of necropsy was initiated in 1898. Nowadays, imaging modalities, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance post mortem, are being used to complement the necropsy. Studies in veterinary medicine about virtual necropsy are at the beginning, but have already shown how valuable they are for diagnosing the cause of deaths of dogs and cats. The aim of this thesis was to develop protocols of post mortem computed tomography angiography in dogs and in order of that it was divided in two parts. In the first, the objective was to describe the inguinal versus cervical approach for the PMCTA in dogs preserved by freezing. In the second part, the aim was to compare two different diluents of the iodine contrast mixture in two groups of dogs differing in the time of death. Thus, PMCTA was performed in a total of four thawed cadavers, in the first study, and in eight cadavers, with two or 12-16 hours after death, in the second one. The results allowed to the conclusion that both approaches, inguinal and cervical were achievable. The cervical approach showed to be more indicated for the head evaluation and the femoral approach was better for the evaluation of the abdominal organs. Additionally the PMCT and PMCTA in cadavers of up to 16 hours after death can be performed without any compromise of the technical conditions and with acquisition of good quality images for the adequate interpretation. The PEG and iodine water soluble contrast mixture, considering the tested volume in different times of death, could be used in the vascular system evaluation in dog cadavers

Effectivity of the filters used in radiographic digital imaging in the detection of pulmonary patterns in dogs and cats

A transição do sistema radiográfico convencional para os sistemas radiográficos digitais, ao longo de vinte anos, tem transformado as salas de laudos nos Serviços de Diagnóstico por Imagem tanto na Medicina quanto na Medicina Veterinária. Atualmente, com a introdução do sistema radiográfico computadorizado na rotina de alguns hospitais e laboratório de imagem, o uso das ferramentas do pós-processamento tem se tornado mais freqüente. Diante das vantagens e desvantagens destas ferramentas e da escassez de trabalhos a cerca dos filtros utilizados em imagens radiográficas digitais, o objetivo deste trabalho foi testar o uso dos filtros convencional, realce de borda e invertido, assim como a associação deles na detecção dos padrões pulmonares de cães e gatos. Foram selecionados 40 exames radiográficos do tórax de cães e gatos contendo as três projeções de eleição. Três observadores com diferentes graus de experiência e familiaridade com o sistema radiográfico computadorizado analisaram os filtros individualmente e depois em associação na detecção geral dos padrões pulmanres e individualmente. Obteve-se melhores valores de sensibilidade e especificidade, em geral, quando os observadores experientes utilizaram os três filtros em associação e, para o iniciante, os melhores resultados da sensibilidade e especificidade, em geral, foram no filtro convencional. Os resultados deste trabalho permitiram concluir que houve diferença estatística entre os observadores com distintos graus de experiência e familiaridade com o sistema digital. E que o uso em associação dos filtros pode incrementar o desempenho do radiologista na avaliação radiográfica do parênquima pulmonar.The transition of the conventional radiographic system to the digital one has been transforming the radiographic routine human and veterinary medicine over the last twenty years. Currently, the introduction of the computed radiography system in some hospitals and imaging services has increased the use of post processing tools. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of these tools and the lack of knowledge about the filters used in digital radiographic images, the aim of this study was to test efficacy of the standard, edge enhancement and gray scale reversed filters and their association to detect pulmonary patterns of cats and dogs. This work selected forty canine and feline sets of thoracic radiographs, including three projections. Three different observers with different degrees of experience and familiarity with the computed radiographic system analyzed the filters individually and then associated in order to detect pulmonary patterns. The best results in sensibility and specificity were related to the more experienced observers using the three associated filters. However, for the beginner, the best sensibility and specificity results was reached with the use of the standard filter in general results. In conclusion were statistical differences between more experienced and familiarized observers with the digital system and the use of filters can increase the radiologist performance when evaluating the pulmonary patterns on the radiography