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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

CT scan shows fatty tumor on diaphragm in 9-year-old Chihuahua

By Jeong, Jeongyun et al.Ā·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology AssociationĀ·2025Ā·Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, South KoreaĀ·View original on PubMed →

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Original publication title: Computed Tomographic Findings of Diaphragmatic Well-differentiated Liposarcoma in a Dog.

Species:
dog

Plain-English summary

A 9-year-old neutered male Chihuahua was brought in because the vet suspected he had a diaphragmatic hernia, which is a tear in the diaphragm that can cause breathing issues. However, a CT scan showed a soft tissue mass pressing on his liver, leading to a diagnosis of well-differentiated liposarcoma, a type of tumor made up of fat and soft tissue. This unusual tumor was found to be connected to the diaphragm, which can be a sign of a diaphragmatic tumor. The dog will need further treatment and monitoring to manage this condition.

People also search for: dog tumor symptoms Ā· Chihuahua breathing problems Ā· liposarcoma treatment in dogs

Abstract

Diaphragmatic tumors are uncommon in veterinary medicine. A 9-year-old neutered male Chihuahua was referred for evaluation of a suspected diaphragmatic hernia. Computed tomography revealed a soft tissue mass with a continuous border to the adjacent diaphragm, compressing the liver caudally. The tumor exhibited hypoattenuating lesions suspected of a mixture of fat and soft tissue. Histopathologic examination diagnosed a well-differentiated liposarcoma. A mass exhibiting a continuous border with the diaphragm and displacement of the adjacent liver may indicate a diaphragmatic tumor. Attenuation indicating a mixture of fat and soft tissue may be a feature of well-differentiated liposarcoma, but further studies on liposarcoma subtypes are needed.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40955774/