Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog gallbladder cancer surgery using special fluorescence imaging
By Jongchul Yun et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2025·Department of Veterinary Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea, CH·View original on DOAJ →
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Original publication title: Case Report: Primary leiomyosarcoma of the canine gallbladder with intraoperative indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence imaging
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 13-year-old male Maltese was found to have an abnormal gallbladder during an ultrasound, but he showed no symptoms. The ultrasound revealed a swollen gallbladder with a mass, and surgery was performed to remove it using a special imaging technique that helped the vet see better during the operation. After examining the mass, it was identified as a type of cancer called leiomyosarcoma. Fortunately, the dog has been doing well for 18 months after the surgery, with no signs of the cancer returning.
People also search for: dog gallbladder mass · Maltese cancer treatment · leiomyosarcoma in dogs · dog surgery recovery · gallbladder problems in dogs
Abstract
A 13-year-old castrated male, Maltese was presented for abnormal findings of gallbladder on abdominal ultrasonography without clinical signs. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed a severely distended gallbladder and a heterogeneous echogenic mass in the gallbladder neck. No evidence of metastasis was observed. Cholecystectomy was performed with indocyanine green near-infrared fluorescence imaging for real-time visualization of the biliary tract that contributed to improve surgical outcomes. In the histopathological examination and immunohistochemical analysis using smooth muscle actin staining, the gallbladder mass was confirmed as a leiomyosarcoma. The patient has been followed up for 18 months without any signs of recurrence or metastasis. This is the first reported case of gallbladder leiomyosarcoma in dogs. Leiomyosarcoma should be considered a differential diagnosis for dogs with gallbladder mass. The histologic low grading, the absence of microscopic residual tumor and metastasis relate to good prognosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1678285