Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Can ultrasound predict liver biopsy results in dogs with liver disease
By Guillot, Martin et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2009·Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Canada·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Can sonographic findings predict the results of liver aspirates in dogs with suspected liver disease?
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 70 dogs with suspected liver disease underwent abdominal ultrasound and a liver biopsy using fine-needle aspiration to help determine the type of liver issue. The ultrasound results showed that certain findings, like a large liver mass or fluid in the abdomen, were strong indicators of liver cancer, while smaller liver nodules suggested a different condition called vacuolar hepatopathy. These findings can help veterinarians decide which tests to use for a more accurate diagnosis. Understanding these ultrasound results can lead to better treatment options for dogs with liver problems.
People also search for: dog liver disease symptoms · ultrasound liver biopsy results in dogs · what does a liver mass mean in dogs
Abstract
While abdominal ultrasound and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology are often combined to help determine the type of liver disease in dogs, little is known about the relationship that may exist between the results of these tests. We hypothesized that specific sonographic findings, or combinations of findings, may predict results of liver ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology. Hepatic and extrahepatic sonographic findings were recorded prospectively using a standardized form in 70 dogs with clinically suspected liver disease and in which liver ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology was performed. The predictive value of sonographic findings in regard to the category of cytology results was assessed with stepwise logistic regression analysis. Sonographic detection of a hepatic mass (> or = 3cm; risk ratio [RR] 3.83, 95% Wald confidence intervals [95% CI] 2.42-3.93, P = 0.0036), ascites (RR 3.82, 95% CI 1.94-4.28, P = 0.0044), abnormal hepatic lymph node(s) (RR 3.01, 95% CI 1.22-4.88, P= 0.0262), and abnormal spleen (RR 3.26, 95% CI 1.20-3.85, P = 0.0274) were the most predictive of liver neoplasia on cytology. Conversely, sonographic detection of hepatic nodules (< 3cm; RR 1.97, 95% CI 0.95-2.96, P = 0.0666) was most predictive of vacuolar hepatopathy on cytology. In dogs with suspected liver disease, several sonographic findings, alone or combined, are thus predictive of liver ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology results. In the light of the fact that ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration cytology of the liver has limitations, these predictabilities could influence the selection of diagnostic tests to reach a reliable diagnosis.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19788037/