Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT signs that suggest lung cancer in dogs and cats
By Parry, Megan E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2023·College of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Cavitary pulmonary lesion wall thickness, presence of additional nodules, and intralesional contrast enhancement are associated with malignancy in dogs and cats.
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old mixed-breed dog was diagnosed with a gas-filled cavity in the lung after showing breathing problems. A CT scan revealed that certain features of the lesion, like thick walls and the presence of additional nodules, suggested it might be cancerous. The veterinary team used these findings to determine the best course of action, which included further testing to confirm the diagnosis. Ultimately, the imaging helped the vets decide on a treatment plan that addressed the potential malignancy effectively.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · lung tumor in dogs · CT scan for dog lung lesions
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the CT features of cavitary pulmonary lesions and determine their utility to differentiate malignant from benign lesions. ANIMALS: This retrospective study included cases from 5 veterinary medical centers between January 1 2010, and December 31, 2020. Inclusion criteria included having a gas-filled cavitary pulmonary lesion on thoracic CT and definitive diagnosis by either cytology or histopathology. Forty-two animals (27 dogs and 15 cats) were included in this study. PROCEDURES: Medical records systems/imaging databases were searched, and cases meeting inclusion criteria were selected. The CT studies were interpreted by a third-year radiology resident, and findings were reviewed by a board-certified veterinary radiologist. RESULTS: 7 of the 13 lesion characteristics investigated were not statistically associated with the final diagnosis of the lesion, whereas 6 were statistically associated. Those that were associated included the presence of intralesional contrast enhancement, type of intralesional contrast enhancement (heterogenous and homogenous analyzed separately), presence of additional nodules, wall thickness of the lesion at its thickest point, and wall thickness at the thinnest point. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results from the present study showed that thoracic CT imaging of cavitary pulmonary lesions can be used to further refine the list of differential diagnoses. Based on this data set, in lesions that have heterogenous contrast enhancement, additional pulmonary nodules, and wall thickness > 40 mm at their thickest point, it would be reasonable to consider malignant neoplastic disease higher on the list of differentials than other causes.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37217176/