Two-Dimensional Shear-Wave Elastography of the Thyroid in Clinically Healthy Dogs in Different Age Groups.

The thyroid of dogs has not been extensively studied in 2D shear-wave elastography, making it challenging to apply this technique in the diagnosis of thyroid diseases in a non-invasive manner. The aim of this study is to evaluate the thyroid glands of healthy dogs using 2D shear-wave elastography in order to establish qualitative and quantitative parameters of tissue stiffness in dogs in different age groups. A total of 31 dogs of various breeds, sexes, and sizes were evaluated. Animals with clinical signs or ultrasound findings indicative of endocrine disease or thyroid lesions were excluded from the study. The shear-wave velocity data in meters per second (m/s) and color elastograms were evaluated and calculated using QelaXto™ 2D software. A healthy thyroid exhibits a blue-color elastogram, indicative of low stiffness. The reference range for the shear-wave velocity of thyroid tissue assessed by 2D shear-wave elastography can be between 1.6 and 2.0 m/s, with a variation of ±0.889 in adult and senior dogs.

Ultrasonography and elastography of the brain and cerebellum of English Bulldog fetuses.

The aim of this study was to evaluate B-mode ultrasonography and ARFI elastography of the central nervous system of canine fetuses as complementary methods to predict gestational age, monitor fetal development and establish standards. Ultrasound examinations were performed on 26 English Bulldog bitches at 34, 49 and 60 days of gestation. The circumference (C), area (A) and diameters of the short (D1) and long (D2) axis of the two cerebral hemispheres of the fetuses in cross-section were measured. Fetal cerebellum shape, echotexture, echogenicity, and transverse diameter (TCD) were evaluated in cross-section. Elastography was performed obtaining color elastograms and mean shear wave velocity (SWV m/s) of the fetal brain and cerebellar tissues. Ultrasound variables were correlated with gestational day (GD). Brain masses had a circular to oval shape, hyperechoic echogenicity, and homogeneous echotexture. C and D1 were the more accurate variables to predict gestational day, with the formulas: GD = 19.38 + 2,06∗C (R2 = 81%) and GD = 18.93 + 7.45∗D1 (R2 = 82%). Cerebellum had a "banana" shape, with hyperechogenic edges, hypoechoic echogenicity, and homogeneous echotexture. The TCD (P = 0.0001) and cerebellar stiffness (P = 0.0006) were greater at 60 days than at 49 days of gestation. The brain mass SWV was correlated positively with GD (P = 0.0001) and showed a gradual increase (P = 0.0001) in the three gestational timepoints evaluated. According to qualitative elastography, both brain mass and cerebellum became more rigid over the course of gestational days. It was possible to verify the development of the brain and cerebellum of canine fetuses during pregnancy by ultrasonographic characteristics and B-mode dimensions, as well as by evaluating the elasticity of these tissues through elastography. These unpublished findings allow a better follow-up of the central nervous system development in the prenatal period and may help in future studies with canine fetuses that present cerebral and cerebellar abnormalities.

Hemorrhagic prostatic cyst in a dog - case report.

We present the case of a five-year-old intact mixed breed male dog with hemorrhagic prostatic cysts. The patient presented with hematuria, dysesthesia, and pain on abdominal palpation. Abdominal ultrasound, hematology, urinalysis, and biochemical evaluation tests were subsequently conducted. Laboratory tests revealed cloudy urine with bacteria, and countless red blood cells. On ultrasound examination, the prostate was severely enlarged, with heterogeneous and reduced parenchyma, surrounding a large cavity filled with anechoic material with moderate cellularity. The urinary bladder was markedly distended and had a round, hypoechogenic structure in the lumen. The patient was hospitalized and had significant, irreversible worsening of the clinical symptoms and died. Subsequently, necropsy of the patient was performed and a histopathological diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia associated with the presence of a prostatic hemorrhagic cyst, prostatitis, and chronic cystitis with an intraluminal blood clot was made. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to describe the occurrence of a hemorrhagic cyst in a canine prostate, thus bringing important information from clinical and imaging findings to the veterinary routine.

Apresentamos o caso de um cão macho de cinco anos de idade sem raça definida com cisto prostático hemorrágico. O paciente manifestava hematúria, disquesia e dor à palpação abdominal. Foram realizadas ultrassonografias abdominais subsequentes, hematologia, urinálise e testes de avaliação bioquímica. Os testes laboratoriais revelaram urina turva com bactérias e inúmeros glóbulos vermelhos. No exame ultrassonográfico, a próstata estava severamente aumentada, com parênquima heterogêneo e reduzido, circundando uma grande cavidade cheia de material anecoico com celularidade moderada. A bexiga urinária estava marcadamente distendida e tinha uma estrutura redonda e hipoecogênica no lúmen. O paciente foi internado e teve um agravamento significativo e irreversível dos sintomas clínicos e veio a óbito. Subsequentemente, foi realizada a necropsia do paciente e foi feito o diagnóstico histopatológico de hiperplasia prostática benigna associada à presença de um cisto hemorrágico prostático, prostatite e cistite crônica com um coágulo sanguíneo intraluminal. Tanto quanto sabemos, este é o primeiro relatório descrevendo a ocorrência de um cisto hemorrágico numa próstata canina, trazendo assim informações importantes dos resultados clínicos e de imagem para a rotina veterinária.

Hemangiosarcoma in the vastus lateralis musculature of a bitch - sonographic findings

Background: A 10-year-old spayed bitch with hip dysplasia was referred for periarticular ultrasound evaluation. A poorly marginated structure of mixed echogenicity, predominantly hypoechoic, with heterogeneous echotexture, was identified in the vastus lateralis muscle of the right pelvic limb with increased stiffness, assessed using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography, compared to that of the adjacent muscle tissues, and intense vascularization by pulsed Doppler and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Guided biopsy was performed to confirm the diagnosis of hemangiosarcoma. The objective of this study was to describe B-mode ultrasound, CEUS, and ARFI findings of hemangiosarcoma in the vastus lateralis musculature of a bitch. Case: A 10-year-old spayed bitch Golden Retriever weighing 36 kg was evaluated for pelvic limb lameness. The patient presented with bilateral pain during hip extension. The primary diagnostic suspicion was degenerative joint disease and secondary hip dysplasia. The patient was referred for imaging evaluation of the hip joints (radiography and ultrasound) under anesthesia. Right lateral and ventrodorsal projections with the pelvic limbs extended were obtained to confirm the diagnosis. In the right pelvic limb, an amorphous hypoechoic structure with irregular contours and heterogeneous echotexture was observed in the vastus lateralis muscle. In ARFI elastography, it was possible to identify differences in tissue stiffness between healthy and compromised portions. Pulsed-wave Doppler evaluation demonstrated an arterial waveform pattern with a peak systolic velocity of 38.8 cm/s, end-diastolic velocity of 6.9 cm/s, pulsatility index of 1.76, and resistive index of 0.82. CEUS study identified a mean peak of 27.26 %, mean time to peak of 39.95 s, and mean transmission time of 49.96 s. The popliteal lymph node was hyperechoic and heterogeneous in B-mode. In ARFI elastography, the average stiffness was 2.52 m/s, and the CEUS obtained an average peak of 19.98%, average time to peak of 17.52 s, and mean transit time of 22.83 s. Doppler assessment revealed no clear vascularization in the lymph node. Thoracic radiography in 3 projections and abdominal ultrasonography were performed. Radiographic evidence of pulmonary nodules was not observed. On abdominal ultrasound evaluation, it was possible to identify changes in the spleen, which presented with splenomegaly, mixed echogenicity, and heterogeneous echotexture. The animal underwent ultrasound-guided muscle biopsy, which confirmed the presence of hemangiosarcoma in the muscle. The bitch was referred for splenectomy and lymphadenectomy of the right popliteal, which confirmed neoplastic involvement of the same neoplasm. Discussion: On B-mode ultrasound, the observed changes were similar to those in a report of hemangiosarcoma in the muscles of the chest wall in dogs, which contributed to the diagnosis. Although it was only one patient, ARFI elastography results suggest that muscle hemangiosarcoma tends to follow the same elastographic characteristics as malignant lesions in other tissues. Additionally, the popliteal lymph node had a stiffness suggestive of malignancy (mean 2.52 m/s) because it presented a similar result and greater elasticity of metastatic axillary lymph nodes in bitches (>2.5 m/s) and women (> 1.44 m/s) with breast tumor. With CEUS, it was possible to identify vascularization in the sentinel lymph node that was not visible by pulsed Doppler, and in muscle mass. The findings of this report provided relevant results on muscle hemangiosarcoma in a bitch and demonstrated that the information obtained with the association of imaging methods supported the malignancy criteria described in other studies.

Associação do bloqueio do plano transverso e serrátil em gata submetida à mastectomia / Association of transversus and serratus plane block in cat submitted to mastectomy

Os bloqueios locorregionais são considerados padrão-ouro para a analgesia perioperatória. Sendo assim, este trabalho apresenta o efeito da associação do bloqueio do plano transverso do abdome com o bloqueio do plano serrátil em um felino de 11 anos, fêmea, que foi submetido à mastectomia unilateral. Foi utilizada a metadona 0,3 mg/kg via intramuscular (IM) na medicação pré-anestésica e propofol dose-efeito via intravenosa (IV) para indução, enquanto a manutenção foi feita com isoflurano. O TAP Block e o SP-Block foram realizados unilateralmente utilizando a associação de bupivacaína 0,3mL/kg, em cada ponto, diluída a 0,25% com solução fisiológica. A frequência cardíaca (FC), a frequência respiratória (f), a pressão arterial não invasiva (Método Doppler), a temperatura esofágica (oC), a saturação de oxigênio (SpO2), a capnografia (EtCO2) e o eletrocardiograma foram monitorados continuamente e registrados a cada dez minutos. A paciente foi monitorada por cinco horas, após a extubação, quanto à dor, sendo utilizada, para isso, a Escala Multidimensional de Dor Aguda (UNESP-Botucatu). A recuperação anestésica da paciente foi rápida e sem complicações. Durante a avaliação de dor, o animal apresentou escore zero, não manifestando qualquer desconforto pós-operatório. A associação das técnicas foi eficaz no bloqueio anestésico das paredes torácica e abdominal, sugerindo a inclusão destas nos protocolos de analgesia multimodal para esse tipo de cirurgia.

Locoregional blocks are considered the gold standard for perioperative analgesia. Thus, this paper presents the effect of the association of transverse abdominal plane block with serratus plane block in an 11-year-old female feline submitted to unilateral mastectomy. Methadone 0.3 mg/kg via intramuscular (IM) was used as pre anesthetic medication and dose-effect propofol via intravenous (IV) was used for induction, while the maintenance was done with isofluorane. TAP Block and SP-Block were performed unilaterally using an association of Bupivacaine 0.3 ml/kg at each point, diluted to 0.25% with saline solution. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (f), non-invasive blood pressure (Doppler method), esophageal temperature (oC), oxygen saturation (SpO2), capnography (EtCO2), and electrocardiogram were monitored continuously and recorded every 10 minutes. The patient was monitored for pain during five hours after extubation using the Multidimensional Scale of UNESP-Botucatu. The anesthetic recovery of the patient was fast and without complications. During pain assessment, the animal presented a score of zero and did not present any postoperative discomfort. The association of techniques was effective in the anesthetic blockade of the thoracic and abdominal walls, suggesting their inclusion in multimodal analgesia protocols for this type of surgery.