Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CT scans used to monitor treatment in nine cats with tuberculosis
By Major, Alison et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2018·1 School of Clinical Veterinary Science, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of computed tomography imaging during long-term follow-up of nine feline tuberculosis cases.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of nine cats diagnosed with tuberculosis (a serious lung infection) underwent long-term treatment with antibiotics. While most of the cats showed some improvement in their condition during therapy, only a few completely recovered. The use of CT scans helped veterinarians monitor changes in the cats' lungs and detect any worsening of their condition before symptoms became severe. This allowed for timely adjustments in treatment. Overall, the study emphasizes that while some cats can improve, complete recovery may not always be achievable.
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Abstract
Case series summary Feline tuberculosis is an increasingly recognised potential zoonosis of cats. Treatment is challenging and prognosis can vary greatly between cases. Pulmonary infection requires extended courses of antibiotics, but methodologies for sensitively monitoring response to treatment are currently lacking. In this case series, we retrospectively examined the serial computed tomography (CT) findings in nine cats that had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Changes in pathology (where applicable to tuberculosis) were correlated with the clinical presentation of each of the cats, the treatment protocol, and previous and contemporary diagnostic investigations. This study found that changes in CT findings during the medium- to long-term management of feline tuberculosis were highly variable between cats. The majority of cats had reduced pathology at re-examination during anti-tuberculous therapy, but pathology only resolved in a minority of cases. In some cases recurrence of pathology detected by CT imaging preceded clinical deterioration, allowing for rapid therapeutic intervention. Relevance and novel information When considered in combination with clinical findings, CT studies can aid in decision making regarding tapering of antibiotic protocols, or reintroduction of therapy in cases of recurrence or reinfection. This series also highlights that, in some cases, persistent abnormalities can be detected by CT, so complete resolution of CT pathology should not always be a goal in the management of feline tuberculosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29366400/