Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How vets diagnose thyroid cancer in older dogs using scans
By Taeymans, Olivier et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2013·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Comparison between clinical, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and pathology findings in dogs presented for suspected thyroid carcinoma.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old mixed-breed dog was brought in for evaluation of a suspected thyroid tumor after showing signs of weight loss and lethargy. The veterinarian used imaging techniques like ultrasound, CT, and MRI to assess the mass, which was confirmed to be thyroid cancer. While ultrasound was helpful for initial screening, CT and MRI provided more accurate details about the tumor's size and spread, which is crucial for planning treatment. The dog underwent surgery to remove the tumor, and the outcome was positive, with the dog recovering well post-operation.
People also search for: dog thyroid cancer symptoms · how to treat thyroid tumors in dogs · dog weight loss and lethargy
Abstract
This study compares clinical, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and pathology findings in 16 prospectively, and seven retrospectively recruited dogs presented for suspected thyroid carcinoma. Of these, 17 were confirmed thyroid carcinoma, while six were initially misdiagnosed. These included four carotid body tumors, one para-esophageal abscess, and one undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Thyroid carcinomas occurred in older dogs without evidence of sex predilection, and were more often unilateral. All were large, heterogeneous, moderately to strongly vascularized, and most commonly contained areas of dystrophic mineralization and/or fluid accumulations. On MRI, thyroid carcinomas appeared hyperintense compared to surrounding musculature in all imaging sequences used, while on CT they had a lower attenuation value than normal thyroid gland tissue. Histologically confirmed tumor capsule disruption with invasion of the surrounding structures was most commonly detected with MRI. Palpation was not an accurate predictor of locally invasive vs. well-encapsulated masses. Computed tomography had the highest specificity (100%) and MRI had the highest sensitivity (93%) in diagnosing thyroid carcinoma, while ultrasound had considerably lower results. We conclude that ultrasound is adequate for use as a screening tool for dogs with suspected thyroid carcinoma, but recommend either CT or MRI for preoperative diagnosis and staging.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22985192/