Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Contrast ultrasound to check nodular lymphoid hyperplasia in dog
By Mangano, Cyndi et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2019·Department of Veterinary Sciences, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for assessment of nodular lymphoid hyperplasia (NLH) in canine spleen.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old Labrador was brought in for an enlarged spleen, which can be a sign of various health issues. The veterinarian used a special ultrasound technique called contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to examine the spleen more closely. This method helped identify that the dog had a benign condition known as nodular lymphoid hyperplasia (NLH), which is common in older dogs. The CEUS showed a specific pattern that indicated the lesions were not cancerous. The dog was monitored, and the findings helped the vet confirm the diagnosis without invasive procedures.
People also search for: dog enlarged spleen treatment · Labrador nodular lymphoid hyperplasia · canine spleen ultrasound results
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Nodular lymphoid hyperplasia (NLH) is one of the most common non-neoplastic splenic lesions in dogs, especially in old ones, showing a splenic enlargement. More recent studies have been focused on Contrast Enhanced Ultrasonography (CEUS) analysis of the spleen for establishing normal perfusion patterns and blood pool phase peculiarities of focal lesions. The aim of the study was to evaluate the qualitative and quantitative CEUS analysis of the canine splenic NLH, characterizing the CEUS pattern of this pathology on 20 clinical cases. RESULTS: A prospective, observational study was performed using a system equipped with contrast-tuned imaging technology. Mechanical Index was set from 0.08 to 0.11; the contrast medium was a second generation contrast medium composed of sulphur hexafluoride encapsulated of a shell of phospholipids (SonoVue®). Qualitative and quantitative assessment of the enhancement pattern of splenic NLH were performed. Cytology and histology identified 20 splenic NLH. All of the benign hyperplastic lesions assessed were isoechoic with a homogeneous pattern than the surrounding normal spleen, during the wash-in phase (10-20 s) of the CEUS exam. Before finishing the wash-in phase, 20-45 s from the contrast medium inoculation, 19/20 benign nodules became markedly hypoechoic to the adjacent spleen. Sensitivity of hypoechoic pattern for NLH was 95%. CONCLUSIONS: These findings should prove useful in the evaluation of focal splenic masses in dogs. Since enhancement and perfusion patterns of NLH seem to coincide with some neoplastic lesions of the spleen previously reported, in clinical practice attention must be paid to the final diagnosis of canine splenic lesions using only the CEUS exam.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31185980/