Introduction to Abdominal Radiology

1
Introduction to Abdominal Radiology

• Meghan Woodland, DVM

2
Indications

• Vomiting/Diarrhea
• Abdominal Pain
• Hematuria
• Abdominal Mass/Distension
• Tenesmus (Pain on Defecation)

3
Technical Factors

• Abdomen has low inherent contrast
• Lower kVp
• Higher mAs
• Collimation
• High amount of scatter
• Use grid (if patient is gt10-11cm thick)
• Take exposure on expiration

4
Positioning

• VD and R lateral views
• Include from diaphragm to pelvic inlet
• Fore limbs pulled cranially
• Hind limbs pulled caudally
• Additional views as necessary

5
Radiographic techniques the dog  By Joe P.
Morgan, John Doval, Valerie Samii
6
Radiographic techniques the dog  By Joe P.
Morgan, John Doval, Valerie Samii
7
(No Transcript)
8
Improper positioning. Could miss a diaphragmatic
hernia.
9
Unprepared Abdomen
10
Butt Shot Urethral Calculi
11
Interpretation of Abdominal Radiographs

• Liver
• Spleen
• Kidneys
• GIT (Stomach, SI, Cecum, LI)
• Bladder
• Prostate
• Extra-abdominal structures

12
Structures Not Normally Seen

• Gall bladder
• Pancreas
• Adrenals
• Ovaries
• Uterus
• Ureters
• Lymph Nodes
• Mesentery
• Vasculature

13
Liver

• Lateral view
• Caudo-ventral margin angular
• Should not extend beyond the costal arch
• Normal gastric axis parallel to ribs or
  perpendicular to spine
• VD view
• Liver margins not well seen
• Long axis of stomach perpendicular to spine

14
(No Transcript)
15
Over-inflation of chest gives false appearance of
enlarged liver
16
(No Transcript)
17
Spleen

• Size is subjective
• Lateral view
• Tail of spleen visible, but position varies
• Not usually seen on this view in cats
• VD view
• Head of the spleen is visualized
• Caudo-lateral to stomach fundus
• Cranio-lateral to left kidney
• Cats often seen lying along the left body wall

18
Dog Lateral View
19
Dog VD View
20
Cat Lateral View
21
Cat VD View
22
Kidneys

• Right located cranial to left
• May be difficult to see in young or emaciated
  animals
• Size (only evaluated on VD view)
• Dogs 2 ½ to 3 ½ times the length of L2
• Cats 2 to 3 times the length of L2

23
Dog Lateral View
24
Dog VD View
25
Cat Lateral View
26
Cat VD View
27
Gastrointestinal Tract

• Stomach
• Caudal to liver
• Gastric Axis
• Less than 3 ICS wide on lateral view
• VD
• Dog U-shaped
• Cat J-shaped

28
(No Transcript)
29
U-Shaped Stomach
Dog VD View
30
J-Shaped Stomach
Cat VD View
31
Gastrointestinal Tract

• Small Intestine
• Size Width less than 3 times the last rib
• Duodenum
• Fixed along the right side
• Extends caudally from the pyloric region of the
  stomach
• Jejunum/Ileum
• Position Varies
• Mid-ventral abdomen

32
(No Transcript)
33
Gastrointestinal Tract

• Cecum
• Comma shaped
• Mid, right abdomen
• Not often seen in cats
• Large Intestine
• Ascending, transverse and descending colon
• Size Width less than 5 times the last rib

34
Cecum VD View
35
Cecum Lateral View
36
Megacolon in a Dog
Descending colon
Transverse Colon
Ascending Colon
37
Transverse Colon
Ascending Colon
Descending colon
Contrast Study
38
Bladder

• Size varies
• Dog
• Oval to ellipsoid
• Caudal abdomen or pelvic
• Cat
• Ellipsoid
• Always intra-abdominal (elongated bladder neck)

39
Bladder more pelvic
Dog Lateral View
40
Long Bladder Neck
Cat Lateral View
41
Prostate

• Intact males
• Caudal to bladder
• Symmetrical with smooth margins
• Size
• Lateral Less than 70 of sacro-pubic distance
• VD Less than 50 of pelvic inlet width

42
(No Transcript)
43
Extra-Abdominal Structures

• Soft Tissues
• Bone (Spine, Pelvis, Hind limbs)
• Diaphragm
• Thorax (if visible)

44
(No Transcript)
45
Decreased Abdominal Detail

• Inability to distinguish organs
• Causes
• Young Animals
• Emaciated Animals
• Peritoneal Fluid
• Inflammation (Peritonitis, Pancreatitis)
• Carcinomatosis
• ? Normal finding

46
Emaciated Cat
47
Abdominal Fluid
48
Fun Slides
How Many Babies?
49
Where is the foreign body?
50
What organs are mineralized?
51
????
52
1
53
2
54
THE END!