Chapter 35 - Cardiovascular

Question 1

What is the normal mean VHS in dogs?

a) 7.5
b) 8.3
c) 9.7
d) 11.5

bonus: How much can cardiac cycle affected VHS?

Answer 1

c) 9.7

by up to 1 vertebral body length

Question 2

What is the normal mean VHS in cats?

a) 7.5
b) 8.3
c) 9.7
d) 11.5

Answer 2

a) 7.5

Question 3

How is heart to single vertebra ratio (HSVR) calculated?

What is the advantage over VHS?

Answer 3

Similar to VHS - add together length and width of cardiac silhouette then keep subtracting length of one normal vertebra between T4-8 (including caudal interveretbral disc space)

May be more useful in dogs with vertebral body abnormalities

Question 4

What are the radiographic signs of hypovolaemia?

Answer 4

• Abnormally small cardiac silhoeutte with normal markings, may appear elevated from sternum
• Narrowed lobar pulmonary vasculature
• Diffuse hyperlucency of the lungs
• Narrowed caudal vena cava

Question 5

This double wall appearance is often due to enlargement of which cardiac chamber?

a) right atrium
b) right ventricle
c) left atrium
d) left ventricle

Answer 5

c) left atrium

Question 6

Which vertebra has higher accuracy for calculating heart to single vertebra ratio?

a) T4
b) T5
c) T6
d) T7

Answer 6

d) T7

Question 7

Normal medial vertebral left atrial size in dogs is…?

a) 1.4
b) 1.9
c) 2.2
d) 2.3

Answer 7

b) 1.9

Question 8

Vertebral left atrial size over ….. may support diagnosis of left atrial enlargement in dogs

a) 1.4
b) 1.9
c) 2.2
d) 2.3

Answer 8

d) 2.3

Question 9

This appearance is most consistent with enlargement of which chamber(s)?

a) left atrium
b) left and right atrium
c) left ventricle
d) right ventricle

Answer 9

a) left atrium

Valentine shaped heart can also occur with left and right atrium enlargement

Question 10

Which is considered a less likely differential for this cardiac appearance?

a) heartworm
b) pulmonic stenosis
c) mitral valve disease
d) pulmonary hypertension

Answer 10

Reverse D shape (right ventricular enlargement) less likely due to
c) mitral valve disease
however can occur due to severe LA and LV enlargement due to morphological distortion of cardiac anatomy

Question 11

A globoid cardiac silhouette with heterogeneous opacity is more likely…?

a) pericardial fat
c) peritoneopericardial hernia
c) pericardial effusion
d) heart based mass

Answer 11

c) peritoneopericardial hernia

• even more likely if cardiac silhouette and ventral aspect of diaphragm continuous
• homogenous opacity more likely effusion

Question 12

Cardiomegaly with a bronchointerstitial pattern in a dog may be more indicative of which disease?

a) myxomatous mitral valve disease
b) myxomatous tricuspid valve disease
c) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
d) dilated cardiomyopathy

Answer 12

d) dilated cardiomyopathy

Question 13

Dogs with chronic dilated cardiomyopathy may have what appearance of pulmonary oedema?

a) dorsocaudal alveolar pattern
b) ventral interstitial to alveolar pattern
c) bronchointerstitial pattern
d) multifocal interstitial to alveolar pattern

Answer 13

b) ventral interstitial to alveolar pattern

Question 14

Cardiomegaly with a dorsocaudal alveolar patern in a dog may be more indicative of which disease?

a) myxomatous mitral valve disease
b) myxomatous tricuspid valve disease
c) hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
d) dilated cardiomyopathy

Answer 14

a) myxomatous mitral valve disease

Question 15

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy most often affects which cardiac chamber?

a) left atrium
b) left ventricle
c) right atrium
d) right ventricle

Answer 15

d) right ventricle

fibro-fatty replacement of RV myocardium → electrical instability → ventricular arrhythmias

Question 16

Haemangiosarcoma most often arises from which cardiac chamber?

a) left atrium
b) left ventricle
c) right atrium
d) right ventricle

Answer 16

c) right atrium

Question 17

Dogs most often present with which type of atrial septal defect?

a) ostium primum
b) ostium secondum
c) sinus venosus defect

Answer 17

b) ostium secondum

located at level of foramen ovale, dorsal to atrioventricular valves

Question 18

Cats most often present with which type of atrial septal defect?

a) ostium primum
b) ostium secondum
c) sinus venosus defect

Answer 18

a) ostium primum

closer to atrioventricular valves than in dogs