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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

Cat with brain tumor and hydrocephalus treated with shunt

By Elizabeth Mahon et al.·Published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science·2022·Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Southfields Veterinary Specialists, Essex, United Kingdom, CH·View original on DOAJ

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Original publication title: Case Report: Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting and Radiation Therapy Treatment in a Cat With a Suspected Choroid Plexus Tumor and Hypertensive Hydrocephalus

Species:
cat

Plain-English summary

A 14-year-old male neutered domestic short-hair cat was brought in because he was showing unusual behavior and had trouble urinating. After a neurological exam and an MRI, the vet found a tumor in his brain that was causing increased pressure and obstructing fluid flow. To help relieve the pressure, the vet placed a shunt to drain excess fluid and then gave the cat radiation therapy. Six months later, follow-up scans showed the tumor had shrunk a bit, and the cat was back to normal without needing any medication.

People also search for: cat brain tumor treatment · cat urinary retention causes · cat radiation therapy side effects

Abstract

A 14-year-old male neutered domestic short-hair cat was presented for a history of behavioral changes and episodes of urinary retention. Neurological examination was consistent with a multifocal intracranial neuroanatomical localization, with suspected right sided lateralisation and suspected raised intracranial pressure (ICP). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed an intraventricular multilobulated well-defined T2W-hyperintense and T1W-isointense, markedly contrast enhancing mass lesion within the dorsal aspect of the III ventricle extending into the left lateral ventricle, causing hypertensive obstructive hydrocephalus. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) was placed within the left lateral ventricle, followed by a radiation therapy (RT) course of 45 Gy total dose in 18 daily fractions. Six-months post-RT, computed tomography revealed mild reduction in mass size and resolution of the hydrocephalus. The patient was neurologically normal with no medical treatment. Raised ICP causes severe clinical signs, can lead to brain ischaemia and herniation, and significantly increases anesthetic risk during RT. Placement of a VPS in cats with hypertensive obstructive hydrocephalus may allow improvement of neurological signs due to raised ICP, and therefore making the patient a more stable candidate for anesthesia and radiation therapy.

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Original publication on DOAJ: https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.828083