Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT lymphangiography using foot pad injection works in cats
By Chiang, Chuan et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2021·UniCore Animal Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Computed tomography lymphangiography via intrametatarsal pad injection is feasible in cats with chylothorax.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old domestic shorthair cat was diagnosed with chylothorax, a condition where lymph fluid accumulates in the chest. The veterinarian performed a special imaging technique called CT lymphangiography by injecting a contrast medium into the cat's paw. This procedure successfully highlighted the thoracic duct anatomy in 6 out of 7 cats, helping to plan further treatment. The cat experienced mild swelling in its paw but recovered quickly without needing pain medication. Overall, this technique is considered safe and effective for understanding and treating chylothorax in cats.
People also search for: cat chylothorax treatment · CT lymphangiography for cats · cat paw swelling after injection
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of CT lymphangiography via intrametatarsal pad injection in cats with chylothorax. ANIMALS: 7 client-owned cats. PROCEDURES: This was a multicenter, retrospective, descriptive study. Medical records and imaging data from 4 veterinary hospitals were reviewed to identify cats with chylothorax that had undergone intrametatarsal pad injection via CT lymphangiography. In total, 7 client-owned cats were included in the study. Signalment, history, image findings, and follow-up data were recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the success rate of thoracic duct (TD) enhancement and describe relevant clinical findings. RESULTS: Enhancement of TDs was successful in 6 of the 7 cats within 5 to 15 minutes after initiating intrametatarsal pad injection under general anesthesia. Successful migration of contrast medium into the lymphatic vessels cranial to the popliteal lymph nodes was observed in all cats within 5 minutes after injection. The recommended dose of contrast medium to achieve TD enhancement was 1 mL/kg (0.5 mL/kg/pad; concentration, 350 mg of iodine/kg). Only 1 cat had mild swelling of the paws after the procedure, and it recovered quickly without pain medication; no cats experienced lameness. Similar to dogs and unlike in previously published reports, 72% of TD branches were located in the right hemithorax. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: CT lymphangiography via intrametatarsal pad injection is a feasible and safe procedure for cats with chylothorax. This technique provides detailed information regarding the unique TD anatomy and cisterna chyli location. It also contributes to surgical planning.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34851856/