Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT and ultrasound signs of feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic
By Yoon, Hongji et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2025·Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, South Korea·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Computed Tomographic and Ultrasonographic Features of Feline Gastrointestinal Eosinophilic Sclerosing Fibroplasia in Cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old Ragdoll cat was diagnosed with gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia (FGESF) after showing signs of gastrointestinal issues. This condition can cause serious problems like obstruction and perforation in the intestines. In most cases, the cats had noticeable swelling in their lymph nodes and specific patterns seen on imaging tests like CT scans and ultrasounds. Unfortunately, if the condition led to perforation, the prognosis was very poor, with affected cats not surviving long after surgery.
People also search for: cat gastrointestinal problems · Ragdoll cat intestinal issues · cat surgery for GI obstruction · feline eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia symptoms
Abstract
This study aimed to characterize the computed tomographic (CT) and ultrasonographic features of feline gastrointestinal eosinophilic sclerosing fibroplasia (FGESF) and its concurrent abnormalities. A retrospective multicenter study was conducted on 16 cats with histopathologically confirmed FGESF. CT and ultrasonographic characteristics were retrospectively evaluated to assess the lesion location, shape, size, and layering patterns. The contrast enhancement patterns, including the attenuation values, were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Concurrent abnormalities, such as lymphadenopathy, gastrointestinal (GI) obstruction, and perforation, were also assessed. FGESF predominantly affected young to middle-aged cats (median age: 3.5 years; range: 9 months-9 years), and Ragdolls were the most overrepresented breed among purebred cats. GI involvement was observed in 14 of 16 cases, most commonly in the proximal duodenum (33%). Lesion growth patterns were significantly associated with anatomical location; all proximal duodenal and pyloric lesions demonstrated endophytic growth (p = 0.018). Common CT findings included heterogeneous contrast enhancement (86%), mucosal layer enhancement (86%), and ulceration (50%). Ultrasonography revealed intraparenchymal hyperechoic areas (100%), heterogeneous echotexture (93%), and mixed echogenicity (93%). Concurrent abdominal lymphadenopathy was present in 93% of cases, with 85% showing marked enlargement (>10 mm). GI obstruction (21%) and perforation (14%) were less common; however, perforation cases exhibited poor prognosis, and none of the affected cats survived beyond 24 h postoperatively. These findings support the inclusion of FGESF in the differential diagnosis of GI mass-forming conditions in cats and highlight the utility of CT and ultrasonography for the comprehensive assessment of primary lesions and concurrent abnormalities.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41047662/