Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Contrast ultrasound helps diagnose pancreatic tumors in dogs
By Vanderperren, K et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2014·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Description of the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in four dogs with pancreatic tumours.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old Golden Retriever was diagnosed with a pancreatic tumor after showing symptoms like weight loss and decreased appetite. Standard ultrasound imaging revealed a suspicious nodule, but it was the contrast-enhanced ultrasound that helped the veterinarian identify the tumor type as an insulinoma, which is a type of pancreatic cancer that produces insulin. This advanced imaging technique allowed for a more accurate diagnosis, leading to appropriate treatment options. The dog was then treated based on the specific type of tumor identified, improving the chances for a better outcome.
People also search for: dog pancreatic tumor symptoms · insulinoma treatment in dogs · ultrasound for dog tumors
Abstract
Canine pancreatic tumours are rare compared to human medicine and the detection and differentiation of pancreatic neoplasia is challenging with B-mode ultrasonography, which often leads to late clinical diagnosis and poor prognosis. This case report describes the findings of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in four dogs with pancreatic adenocarcinoma or insulinoma. B-mode ultrasonography of the pancreas revealed a hypoechoic nodule in three dogs and heterogenous tissue in one dog. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was able to differentiate between two tumour types: adenocarcinomas showed hypoechoic and hypovascular lesions, whereas insulinomas showed uniformly hypervascular lesions. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography findings were confirmed by cytology and/or histopathology. The results demonstrated that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was able to establish different enhancement patterns between exocrine (adenocarcinoma) and endocrine (insulinoma) tumours in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24745060/