Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
What the medullary rim sign on cat kidney ultrasounds means for your
By Amy Ferreira et al.·Published in The Veterinary Record·2019·View original on Semantic Scholar →
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Original publication title: Prevalence and clinical significance of the medullary rim sign identified on ultrasound of feline kidneys
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 661 cats underwent ultrasound examinations, and 243 of them showed a feature called the medullary rim sign (MRS) in their kidneys. This sign can appear in both healthy and sick cats, but a thicker version of the MRS was linked to kidney disease, while a thinner version was not. Additionally, the presence of a thick MRS was associated with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), a serious illness. Understanding the MRS can help veterinarians assess kidney health and diagnose underlying conditions in cats.
People also search for: cat kidney disease ultrasound · feline infectious peritonitis symptoms · medullary rim sign in cats
Abstract
Objectives The medullary rim sign (MRS) is an ultrasonographic (US) feature identified in normal and diseased feline kidneys. The prevalence and potential clinical significance of the MRS in a referral hospital cat population was investigated. Methods Retrospective case–control study. US images from 661 cats were reviewed. Cats with an MRS were identified and compared with equal number of time-matched control cats. Medical data and MRS features, including thickness, intensity and symmetry, were collected. Associations between independent variables and the MRS were examined with conditional and unconditional logistic regression, with initial univariable, and subsequent multivariable analysis. Results Of the 661 reviewed cats, 243 (36.8 per cent) showed a variation of the MRS. A thin MRS (133 cats) was not associated with azotaemic renal disease (P=0.87). A thick MRS (110 cats) was associated with azotaemic renal disease (P=0.001). There was an association between the presence of MRS and a final diagnosis of feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) (P=0.028). Conclusions The MRS is a common finding in cats. In this cat population, a thick MRS was associated with azotaemic renal disease, while a thin MRS was not. In cases with a clinical suspicion of FIP, the MRS may be related to the underlying disease process and not be an incidental finding.
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Search related cases →Original publication on Semantic Scholar: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/31748423