Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Ultrasound features of liver cancer in dogs explained
By Banzato, Tommaso et al.·Published in The Veterinary record·2020·Department of Animal Medicine, Italy·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound features of hepatocellular carcinoma in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs diagnosed with liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) underwent a special ultrasound test to better understand the characteristics of their tumors. The study found that the way the tumors reacted to the contrast agent used in the ultrasound could indicate how well-differentiated (or aggressive) the cancer was, especially in larger tumors. While the ultrasound helped in identifying features of the cancer, it didn't show significant differences in how quickly the contrast agent was absorbed or eliminated based on tumor size or differentiation. This technique could help vets diagnose liver cancer more effectively in dogs.
People also search for: dog liver cancer symptoms · ultrasound for dog tumors · treatment for dog hepatocellular carcinoma
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe the contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) features of canine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in relation to cellular differentiation and lesion size. METHODS: Sixty dogs with a cytological diagnosis of HCC and that underwent a CEUS examination were retrospectively selected. The wash-in and wash-out patterns of contrast enhancement, along with the time to wash-in and the time to wash-out, of each lesion were recorded. A dimensional cut-off value of 3 cm was adopted for classification. RESULTS: Cellular differentiation had a significant influence on both wash-in (chi-squared=16.99; P<0.001) and wash-out (chi-squared=10.9; P=0.004) patterns of contrast enhancement. Lesion size had a lower, but still significant, influence on both wash-in (chi-squared=12.7; P=0.005) and wash-out (chi-squared=7.42; P=0.024) patterns. A homogeneous hyperenhancement in the arterial phase followed by homogeneous wash-out were suggestive of a well-differentiated HCC. The cellular differentiation of lesions with inhomogeneous hyperenhancement or hypoenhancement/no enhancement as well as an inhomogeneous wash-out or no wash-out could not be inferred. CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference in the time to wash-in and the time to wash-out in relation to cellular differentiation or lesion size was evident. CEUS has the potential to improve efficiency in the diagnosis of HCCs in dogs.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31662577/