Outcome of 21 dogs treated for the portocaval subtype of extrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

Objective: To assess outcomes of dogs with side-to-side portocaval extrahepatic portosystemic shunts (PC-EHPSS) and poor portal perfusion to the liver treated with medical management alone (MM) or surgical attenuation (SA).

Study Design: Multi-institutional retrospective study.

Animals: A total of 21 dogs with PC-EHPSS (14/21 MM and 7/21 SA).

Anatomical classification of canine congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts based on CT angiography: A SVSTS and VIRIES multi-institutional study in 1082 dogs.

Canine congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (EHPSS) morphologies have not been fully elucidated. The goal of this retrospective, multi-institutional study was to use CT angiography to create an anatomical-based nomenclature system for canine congenital EHPSS. These shunt morphologies were then evaluated to identify any significant association with patient age, sex, breed, weight, or subjective portal perfusion score.

Computed tomography-derived structural analysis for the likelihood of pathologic fracture in canine antebrachial osteosarcoma.

Determining the risk of pathologic fracture in dogs with a primary bone tumor would aid in case selection for in-situ treatment options. Prior research found strong relationships between in vitro strength of canine antebrachii with primary bone tumors and CT-derived metrics. This study assesses the prognosis for pathologic fracture in dogs with distal radial bone tumors using CT-derived structural analysis metrics.

Assessment of tumor hypoxia in spontaneous canine tumors after treatment with OMX, a novel H-NOX oxygen carrier, with [F]FMISO PET/CT.

Background: Hypoxia is a detrimental factor in solid tumors, leading to aggressiveness and therapy resistance. OMX, a tunable oxygen carrier from the heme nitric oxide/oxygen-binding (H-NOX) protein family, has the potential to reduce tumor hypoxia. [F]Fluoromisonidazole ([F]FMISO) positron emission tomography (PET) is the most widely used and investigated method for non-invasive imaging of tumor hypoxia.

Anatomical classification of feline congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts based on CT angiography: A SVSTS and VIRIES multi-institutional study in 231 cats.

The prevalence of anatomical-based subtypes of feline congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts (EHPSS) has not been completely elucidated. The goal of this study was to use CT angiography to create an anatomical-based nomenclature system for feline congenital EHPSS. Additionally, subjective portal perfusion scores were generated to determine if intrinsic portal vein development was associated with different shunt conformations or patient age at the time of CT.

The diagnostic yield of preoperative screening for oral cancer in dogs over 15 years, part 1: locoregional screening.

Objective: Determine locoregional diagnostic yield of 4-site screening (head, neck, chest, and abdomen) to diagnose metastatic disease or clinically significant comorbid diseases in dogs with oral cancer.

Animals: 381 dogs with histologically confirmed oral tumors.

Methods: Medical records from 381 dogs with histologically confirmed oral tumors that underwent preoperative screening were retrospectively reviewed.

The diagnostic yield of preoperative screening for oral cancer in dogs over 15 years, part 2: distant screening.

Objective: Determine diagnostic yield of chest, abdomen, and 4-site screening to diagnose metastatic disease and secondary diseases of prognostic significance in dogs with oral cancer.

Sample: Medical records from 381 dogs with histologically confirmed oral tumors that underwent preoperative screening were retrospectively reviewed.

Results: Thoracic metastasis was diagnosed in 4.

Kinetic Evaluation of the Hypoxia Radiotracers [F]FMISO and [F]FAZA in Dogs with Spontaneous Tumors Using Dynamic PET/CT Imaging.

Purpose: We evaluated the kinetics of the hypoxia PET radiotracers, [18F]fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) and [18F]fluoroazomycin-arabinoside ([18F]FAZA), for tumor hypoxia detection and to assess the correlation of hypoxic kinetic parameters with static imaging measures in canine spontaneous tumors.

Methods: Sixteen dogs with spontaneous tumors underwent a 150-min dynamic PET scan using either [18F]FMISO or [18F]FAZA. The maximum tumor-to-muscle ratio (TMR) > 1.

Prediction of vascular invasion using a 7-point scale computed tomography grading system in adrenal tumors in dogs.

Background: Previous studies evaluating the accuracy of computed tomography (CT) in detecting caudal vena cava (CVC) invasion by adrenal tumors (AT) used a binary system and did not evaluate for other vessels.

Objective: Test a 7-point scale CT grading system for accuracy in predicting vascular invasion and for repeatability among radiologists. Build a decision tree based on CT criteria to predict tumor type.

Positive-pressure breath-hold positron emission tomography/computed tomography is feasible for respiratory-induced artifact reduction in healthy dogs.

Objective: To perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of positron emission tomography (PET)/CT images using spontaneous ventilation (SV) and positive-pressure breath-hold (PPBH) techniques in order to demonstrate the feasibility of PPBH PET/CT to decrease respiration-induced artifacts.

Animals: 5 healthy female mixed-breed dogs.

Procedures: 2-([18F]fluoro)-2-deoxy-D-glucose (was administered to each anesthetized dog.

Classification of neoplastic and inflammatory brain disease using MRI texture analysis in 119 dogs.

Magnetic resonance imaging is the primary method used to diagnose canine glial cell neoplasia and noninfectious inflammatory meningoencephalitis. Subjective differentiation of these diseases can be difficult due to overlapping imaging characteristics. This study utilizes texture analysis (TA) of intra-axial lesions both as a means to quantitatively differentiate these broad categories of disease and to help identify glial tumor grade/cell type and specific meningoencephalitis subtype in a group of 119 dogs with histologically confirmed diagnoses.

Ferumoxytol-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography provides comparable vascular conspicuity to CT angiography in dogs with intrahepatic portosystemic shunts.

Computed tomography angiography (CTA) is currently the gold standard imaging modality for anatomically characterizing canine hepatic vascular anomalies; with conventional, gadolinium-enhanced MR angiography being less frequently utilized. However, both imaging modalities are limited by a brief, first pass peak of contrast medium in the vasculature that necessitates precisely timed image acquisition. A long-acting purely intravascular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, ferumoxytol, offers the potential to reduce complexity of magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) protocol planning by ensuring diagnostic contrast medium concentration in all the vessels that are targeted for imaging.

Unusual splenic B-cell lymphoma in two related Sumatran tigers ().

Case Description: A 14-year-old 120-kg (264-lb) sexually intact male Sumatran tiger () and its 10-year-old 130-kg (286-lb) sexually intact male offspring were housed separately and evaluated independently after experiencing weeks of ongoing malaise, weight loss, and anorexia.

Clinical Findings: Both animals were immobilized and anesthetized for physical examinations and diagnostic testing. Complete blood counts revealed leukopenia and anemia in both tigers.

Evaluation of accuracy for F-FDG positron emission tomography and computed tomography for detection of lymph node metastasis in canine oral malignant melanoma.

Tumour stage has been demonstrated to have prognostic significance in canine oral malignant melanoma (OMM). Various evaluation techniques of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) have been reported for staging of head-and-neck tumours in people, but canine-specific data are limited, and reports for CT accuracy have been variable. In this prospective study, the head/neck of client-owned dogs with cytologically or histologically diagnosed OMM were imaged with Fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose ( F-FDG) PET/ CT.

Canine intrahepatic portosystemic shunt insertion into the systemic circulation is commonly through primary hepatic veins as assessed with CT angiography.

Congenital intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (IHPSS) in dogs are traditionally classified as right, left, or central divisional. There are few descriptive studies regarding the variation of IHPSS within these categories. This multicenter, analytical, cross-sectional study aimed to describe a large series of dogs with CT angiography (CTA) of IHPSS, hypothesizing that there would be variation to the existing classification.

Use of percutaneous transvenous coil embolization in the treatment of intrahepatic portosystemic shunts in four cats.

Case Description: 4 cats (6 to 9 months old) were evaluated because of clinical signs consistent with a portosystemic shunt (PSS).

Clinical Findings: Among the 4 cats, 3 had neurologic abnormalities including ataxia, head pressing, disorientation, and obtundation. One cat was evaluated because of urethral obstruction; a retrieved urethral stone was determined to have urate composition.

MRI has limited agreement with CT in the evaluation of vertebral fractures of the canine trauma patient.

Complete assessment of vertebral trauma in dogs currently requires CT and MRI for evaluation of the osseous and soft tissue structures that contribute to vertebral stability. Some studies in people have suggested that MRI may be sensitive and specific at detecting vertebral fractures making this potentially a single modality that could be used in spinal trauma evaluation. This study aimed to assess the ability for observers to evaluate vertebral fractures using MRI when compared to CT, which was used as the reference standard.

Perioperative morbidity and mortality in dogs with invasive adrenal neoplasms treated by adrenalectomy and cavotomy.

Objective: To report the morbidity and mortality associated with adrenalectomy with cavotomy for resection of invasive adrenal neoplasms in dogs and evaluate risk factors for perioperative outcomes.

Study Design: Retrospective study.

Animals: Forty-five client-owned dogs.

Mini EXPLORER II: a prototype high-sensitivity PET/CT scanner for companion animal whole body and human brain scanning.

As part of the EXPLORER total-body positron emission tomography (PET) project, we have designed and built a high-resolution, high-sensitivity PET/CT scanner, which is expected to have excellent performance for companion animal whole body and human brain imaging. The PET component has a ring diameter of 52 cm and an axial field of view of 48.3 cm.

Long-term survival with stereotactic radiotherapy for imaging-diagnosed pituitary tumors in dogs.

Published studies on the use of stereotactic radiotherapy for dogs with pituitary tumors are limited. This retrospective observational study describes results of stereotactic radiotherapy for 45 dogs with imaging-diagnosed pituitary tumors. All dogs were treated at a single hospital during the period of December 2009-2015.

Nodules and masses are associated with malignant pleural effusion in dogs and cats but many other intrathoracic CT features are poor predictors of the effusion type.

Thoracic CT may be used in the workup of patients with pleural effusion. In humans, certain pleural features on CT aid in diagnosing an underlying cause for pleural effusion, whereas this is not well studied in veterinary medicine. This retrospective cross-sectional analytical study assessed pleural and other intrathoracic abnormalities on CT in dogs and cats with pleural effusion and explored potential discriminatory features between effusion types.

Canine meningiomas treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy require magnetic resonance imaging to avoid a geographic miss.

Exact target volume definition is an essential prerequisite for modern radiotherapy treatment planning. Contouring the gross tumor volume of brain tumors on computed tomography (CT) images coregistered with magnetic resonance images is standard practice in human medicine. In this retrospective study, including only cases with an imaging diagnosis of meningioma, we hypothesized that the gross tumor volume contoured from the contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (gross tumor volume-MRI) is larger when compared to the gross tumor volume contoured using contrast-enhanced CT (gross tumor volume-CT).

Ocular anatomy of the black pacu (Colossoma macropomum): gross, histologic, and diagnostic imaging.

Objective: To describe the ocular anatomy of the black pacu (Colossoma macropomum), a freshwater teleost fish of the Amazon River basin, including an unusual choroid laden with adipose tissue.

Procedures: Three adult black pacu were anesthetized and examined clinically and with ocular ultrasonography, then euthanized. Three fish were euthanized and their heads imaged immediately postmortem using computed tomography.

MicroRNA profiling of dogs with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder using blood and urine samples.

Background: Early signs of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) are frequently assumed to be caused by other lower urinary tract diseases (LUTD) such as urinary tract infections, resulting in late diagnosis of TCC which could be fatal. The development of a non-invasive clinical test for TCC could dramatically reduce mortality. To determine whether microRNAs (miRNAs) can be used as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers, we assessed miRNA expression in blood and/or urine from dogs with clinically normal bladders (n = 28), LUTD (n = 25), and TCC (n = 17).