Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imaging diagnosis-hypoglycemia associated with cholangiocarcinoma and peritoneal carcinomatosis in a horse.
- Journal:
- Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association
- Year:
- 2015
- Authors:
- Wong, David et al.
- Affiliation:
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old Thoroughbred mare was brought in because she was eating less than usual, had trouble walking, and seemed weak. An ultrasound of her abdomen showed a lot of fluid and several masses in her spleen, liver, and diaphragm. Additional tests revealed fluid in her chest and some unusual nodules in her lungs, along with swollen lymph nodes. She was also experiencing weakness and mild seizures due to low blood sugar caused by a rare condition linked to her cancer. Unfortunately, the diagnosis was cholangiocarcinoma (a type of cancer affecting the bile ducts) with widespread spread to other areas.
Abstract
An 8-year-old Thoroughbred mare presented for decreased appetite, ataxia, and weakness. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a large volume of anechoic fluid along with multiple masses involving the spleen, liver, and diaphragm. Pleural fluid was identified via ultrasonography and thoracic radiography. Thoracic radiographs also identified pulmonary interstitial nodules, an undulant dorsal diaphragmatic margin and enlargement of tracheobronchial lymph nodes. Clinical signs of weakness and mild seizures were concurrent with hypoglycemic episodes. The final diagnosis was cholangiocarcinoma with extensive metastasis. Clinical signs of weakness, ataxia, and seizures were attributed to a paraneoplastic syndrome of tumor-associated hypoglycemia that has been infrequently reported in horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24103084/