Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT angiography to diagnose portosystemic shunts in dogs
By Zwingenberger, Allison L et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2005·Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Helical computed tomographic angiography of canine portosystemic shunts.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 16 dogs suspected of having portosystemic shunts (abnormal blood vessels that bypass the liver) underwent a special type of imaging called CT angiography. This test successfully identified 15 cases of these shunts, including different types located inside and outside the liver. The CT scans were able to pinpoint the source and connection of most shunts, helping veterinarians confirm their diagnoses through other methods like ultrasound and surgery. This imaging technique shows promise as a less invasive way to diagnose these conditions in dogs.
People also search for: dog portosystemic shunt symptoms · CT scan for dog liver problems · dog liver shunt treatment
Abstract
Helical computed tomographic (CT) angiography was performed in 16 dogs with known or suspected portosystemic shunts. Fifteen portosystemic shunts were detected including five single intrahepatic shunts, five single extrahepatic shunts, and five multiple extrahepatic shunts. One dog had a normal CT examination. All diagnoses were confirmed by one or several alternate methods including ultrasound, surgery, necropsy, angiography, and liver biopsy. CT detected the origin of 13 of 15 portosystemic shunts and insertion of 13 of 15 shunts. Limitations included inability to resolve two vessels originating very close to each other, and identification of vessels that traveled parallel to the axial image plane. CT angiography is a promising, minimally invasive method of diagnosing a variety of portosystemic shunts in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15693555/