Jeosoon Lee

Evaluation of the ureteral jet in dogs by using color Doppler ultrasonography

Ureteral jets are the result of a forceful ejection of urine from the vesicoureteral junction into the urinary bladder. By using color Doppler ultrasonography (US), we aimed to identify distinct ureteral jets in dogs, provide insight into ureteral obstruction, and facilitate study of urodynamics and vesicoureteric sphincter function via pulsed Doppler US. Color Doppler US was applied to detect urinary flow from the right ureteral orifices in eight healthy beagles. Under anesthesia, 0.9% saline (2.5 mL/kg/h) and furosemide (0.5 mg/kg) were administered intravenously to assist in detection of distinct ureteral jets and examine their frequency, velocity, duration, and waveform. In all dogs, ureteral jets were visualized under diuresis and anesthesia within 2 to 5 min (mean 3.57 ± 0.90 min) of the furosemide injection. Mean frequency, peak velocity, and duration of right ureteral jets in seven dogs in whom six ureteral jet waveform patterns were identified were 9.86 ± 3.09 jets/min, 34.07 ± 10.02 cm/sec, and 2.82 ± 1.08 sec, respectively. During the 10 min period starting 10 min after the initial jet appeared, only three waveforms were identified. Color Doppler US of ureteral jets may aid in assessing vesicoureteric sphincter function and ureteral abnormalities, such as ureteral obstruction, in dogs.

Intra-abdominal necrotic lipoma diagnosed by computed tomography as a paraprostatic cyst

A dog with a history of diarrhea and dyschezia exhibited an oval-shaped, soft-tissue opacity mass in the abdomen on radiographs. CT examination revealed a large fluid-filled structure displacing the urinary bladder, prostate, and colon. The mass had continuity with the prostate; therefore, it was tentatively diagnosed as a paraprostatic cyst. Cytologic examination was performed and the mass was considered a non-inflammatory cyst. However, after surgery, histopathologic examination revealed a necrotic, inflamed cystic lipoma. This case shows that unusual intra-abdominal lipomas may have a cystic appearance.

High resolution computed tomographic evaluation of bronchial wall thickness in healthy and clinically asthmatic cats

The objective of study is to determine the thickness of bronchial walls of clinically diagnosed asthmatic cats using high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) compared to that of healthy cats. The bronchial walls and pulmonary arteries were measured in healthy 16 cats and clinically asthmatic 4 cats. The bronchial walls and pulmonary arteries were measured under general anesthesia with positive pressure inspiration using HRCT. In healthy and asthmatic cats, bronchial lumen to the artery ratio (BA ratio), the ratio of bronchial wall thickness to bronchial diameter (TD ratio) and ratio of bronchial wall thickness to pulmonary artery (TA ratio) were measured. The mean BA ratio, TD ratio and TA ratio in healthy cats were 0.86 ± 0.12, 0.18 ± 0.02 and 0.25 ± 0.05, respectively. Under the same condition, the mean BA ratio, TD ratio and TA ratio in asthmatic cats were 0.93 ± 0.21, 0.22 ± 0.24 and 0.37 ± 0.06. The TD ratio and TA ratio in asthmatic cats were significantly higher than healthy cats (P<0.001). BA ratio was not significantly different in both groups (P>0.05). The evaluation of bronchial wall thickness by HRCT could be useful for diagnosis of disease of bronchial wall thickening, such as feline asthma.

Reestablishment of radiographic kidney size in Miniature Schnauzer dogs.

Kidney size may be altered in renal diseases, and the detection of kidney size alteration has diagnostic and prognostic values. We hypothesized that radiographic kidney size, the kidney length to the second lumbar vertebra (L2) length ratio, in normal Miniature Schnauzer dogs may be overestimated due to their shorter vertebral length. This study was conducted to evaluate radiographic and ultrasonographic kidney size and L2 length in clinically normal Miniature Schnauzers and other dog breeds to evaluate the effect of vertebral length on radiographic kidney size and to reestablish radiographic kidney size in normal Miniature Schnauzers. Abdominal radiographs and ultrasonograms from 49 Miniature Schnauzers and 54 other breeds without clinical evidence of renal disease and lumbar vertebral abnormality were retrospectively evaluated. Radiographic kidney size, in the Miniature Schnauzer (3.31 ± 0.26) was significantly larger than that in other breeds (2.94 ± 0.27). Relative L2 length, the L2 length to width ratio, in the Miniature Schnauzer (1.11 ± 0.06) was significantly shorter than that in other breeds (1.21 ± 0.09). However, ultrasonographic kidney sizes, kidney length to aorta diameter ratios, were within or very close to normal range both in the Miniature Schnauzer (6.75 ± 0.67) and other breeds (7.16 ± 1.01). Thus, Miniature Schnauzer dogs have breed-specific short vertebrae and consequently a larger radiographic kidney size, which was greater than standard reference in normal adult dogs. Care should be taken when evaluating radiographic kidney size in Miniature Schnauzers to prevent falsely diagnosed renomegaly.