Abdomen Flashcards
What does fat do to radiographs?
it creates the background !
Poorer details in thin animals
What two views should be taken minimum?
Lat + VD or DV
- VD preferable (in dv internal organs are more compressed)
How to position animal for abdominal xray
Diaphragm and cranial part of pelvis must be visible
Spine in one plane
Hind limbs stretched caudally
Expiratory pause is ideal
What parts are normally not visible on radiographs?
Adrenal glands
Mesentery
Mesenteric lymph nodes
Pancreas
Gall bladder
Omentum
Ovaries
Uterus
Ureters
Abdominal aorta
Blood vessels
Ground glass appearance
Poor serosal detail with generalised fuzziness/ mottled appearance
Organs not clearly visualised
Due to peritonitis or carcinomatosis
What factors decrease contrast’
Free fluid
Peritonitis
Carcinomatosis
Calcification
Intraabdominal gas
If underexposed
Emaciation
Young age
What should be seen in right lateral view
Both kidneys
Duodenum
Pylorus
Cecum
Colon
Urinary bladder
Tail of spleen
What should be visible on left lateral view
Both kidneys
Pylorus (stomach)
Duodenum
Colon
Urinary bladder
Cecum
What additional organs can be seen on VD view
Fundus of stomach
Head of spleen
Prostate
Mass effect
Mass change in one organ causes changes in location of others
- Giving hint for the location of mass
What if stomach is left side lateral
Pylorus filled with gas
What if stomach is right side lateral
Pylorus filled with fluid -> Ball-filled
What is peculiar about position of feline stomach
Most cats have falciform fat that lifts the liver and stomach dorsally
Gravel sign
Chronic obstruction due to neoplasia, fibrosis, inflammation, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
most commonly in pylorus
accumulation of granular mineral opacity material within the gastrointestinal tract
Linear foreign body
Looks like a “string of pearls” when cats have eaten string
