Lecture 22

Question 1

What are the basics regarding abdominal radiographs?

Answer 1

-minimum of one lateral and one VD view
-left and right lateral radiographs will redistribute GI gas
-collimate from just cranial to diaphragm to just caudal to hips

Question 2

Which horizontal beam radiographs can be taken of the abdomen?

Answer 2

-lateral recumbency VD view
-dorsal recumbency lateral view

Question 3

What is shown in these images?

Answer 3

normal abdomen and normal body wall in a dog

Question 4

What is shown in this image?

Answer 4

normal abdomen in an obese cat

Question 5

What are the characteristics of abdominal wall hernia/rupture?

Answer 5

*disruption of abdominal body wall
*can be congenital or acquired
*imaging findings include:
-disruption of abdominal wall
-displacement of fat or abdominal organs

Question 6

What is shown in these images?

Answer 6

abdominal wall hernia/rupture

Question 7

What is shown in this image?

Answer 7

abdominal wall hernia/rupture
-should not see intestines/GI gas in inguinal region

Question 8

What are the causes of decreased serosal detail?

Answer 8

*young animal
*lack of abdominal fat
-emaciated
*silhouette effect
-increased fluid or soft tissue in abdomen
-compression of abdominal contents/visceral crowding
*artifact

Question 9

What is shown in this image?

Answer 9

loss of serosal detail
-young dog

Question 10

What is shown in this image?

Answer 10

loss of serosal detail
-adult dog with lack of fat

Question 11

What is shown in these images?

Answer 11

normal abdomen with visceral crowding

Question 12

What is shown in this image?

Answer 12

silhouette effect
-peritoneal effusion

Question 13

What is shown in this image?

Answer 13

wet hair artifact

Question 14

What are the characteristics of abdominal effusion?

Answer 14

-can be peritoneal, retroperitoneal, or both
-possible effusions are transudates, exudates, blood, urine, bile, and chyle
-CANNOT tell the type of effusion via radiographs

Question 15

What are the radiographic findings in abdominal effusion?

Answer 15

-decreased or absent serosal margin detail
-fluid streaking in fat
-mottled appearance

Question 16

What are the ultrasound findings in abdominal effusion?

Answer 16

-anechoic to echogenic
-usually moves with gravity

Question 17

What is shown in this image?

Answer 17

large volume of peritoneal effusion
-can still see kidney; not retroperitoneal

Question 18

What is shown in this image?

Answer 18

small volume of peritoneal effusion
-fluid streaking in ventral aspect

Question 19

What is shown in these images?

Answer 19

anechoic effusion around liver (left) and bladder (right)

Question 20

What is shown in this image?

Answer 20

echogenic effusion

Question 21

What is shown in this image?

Answer 21

refraction artifact; NOT effusion

Question 22

What are some possible etiologies of peritonitis?

Answer 22

-perforation of abdominal viscera
-visceral extension of infection
-systemic infection
-pancreatitis
-surgical complications
-external penetrating injury

Question 23

What are the radiographic findings of peritonitis?

Answer 23

-loss of detail; regional or diffuse
-mottled appearance
-GI ileus
-possible free gas

Question 24

What are the ultrasound findings of peritonitis?

Answer 24

-variable amount of effusion; anechoic to echogenic
-hyperechogenicity and hyperattenuation of abdominal fat

Question 25

What is shown in these images?

Answer 25

peritonitis

Question 26

What is shown in these images?

Answer 26

peritonitis

Question 27

What is carcinomatosis?

Answer 27

peritoneal seeding of neoplastic process

Question 28

What are the radiographic findings of carcinomatosis?

Answer 28

-loss of serosal detail -ill-defined nodular or mottled pattern -may see mass effect of primary tumor

Question 29

What are the ultrasound findings of carcinomatosis?

Answer 29

-effusion -nodules along peritoneum, fat, or mesentery -nodules that are hypoechoic to fat -possible primary mass

Question 30

What is shown in these images?

Answer 30

carcinomatosis

Question 31

What is shown in these images?

Answer 31

carcinomatosis

Question 32

What is (retro)pneumoperitoneum?

Answer 32

free peritoneal or retroperitoneal gas

Question 33

What are possible etiologies of (retro)pneumoperitoneum?

Answer 33

-recent abdominal injury -traumatic injury to abdominal wall -perforation of GI tract -rupture of an abscess

Question 34

What are the radiographic findings of (retro)pneumoperitoneum?

Answer 34

-free intra-abdominal gas foci not in the GI tract -increased visceral/serosal margin detail if large amount of free gas

Question 35

What is shown in this image?

Answer 35

pneumoperitoneum

Question 36

What is shown in this image?

Answer 36

pneumoperitoneum

Question 37

What is shown in this image?

Answer 37

pneumoperitoneum

Question 38

What are the findings of pneumoperitoneum on horizontal beam radiographs?

Answer 38

*VD in left lat. recumbency: -free gas accumulates under ribs away from gastric fundus *lat. in dorsal recumbency: -free gas accumulates in area of liver, diaphragm, and ventral wall

Question 39

What is shown in this image?

Answer 39

free peritoneal air; seen on horizontal beam VD

Question 40

What is shown in this image?

Answer 40

free peritoneal air; seen on horizontal beam lat. view

Question 41

What are the ultrasound findings of pneumoperitoneum?

Answer 41

-echogenic foci or lines with reverberation artifacts -large amount hampers visualization of deep structures

Question 42

What is shown in this image?

Answer 42

pneumoperitoneum -free gas