Imaging of the stomach Flashcards
Stomach radiography
Left cranial abdomen mostly
4 radiographic views for complete evaluation
Ideally fasted and under sedation
What can you evaluate with radiography of the stomach?
Position
Gas and fluid distribution
Contents - just food? fluid? mineral? FB?
Walls - with caveats - can’t see layers, can be difficult to assess thickness
Normal anatomy of stomach on lateral radiograph
Right lateral: Lying on RHS so gas in fundus
Left lateral: Gas in pylorus. May be able to see duodenal opening
Normal anatomy of stomach on VD radiograph
Gas mostly in body of stomach (fundus)
Normal stomach anatomy of a cat on radiograph
Stomach quite poor defined
(soft tissue opacity)
More J shaped
More left sided than in the dog
Pylorus more midline
Ultrasound of the stomach
Layers and wall thickness
Motility
Contents
Position
Limitations
○ Large patients
○ Gas
Etc.
Normal view of stomach on US
Lumen in the middle
Hypoechoic layer: mucosa
Hyperechoic layer: submucosa
Hypoechoic layer: muscularis
Hyperechoic layer: serosa
Can see layering of the stomach wall as well as contents
What does minrealisation withing the wall of the stomach suggest
Suggests mass within stomach wall
What width should the stomach wall be?
Shouldn’t be more than 3-4mm
What does a gravel sign indicate?
A more chronic obstruction
Gastric dilation on imaging
Pylorus in normal position (ventral and right)
Fundus in normal position (dorsal and left)
Spleen in normal position
Severe gastric distension
Gastric dilation-volvulus on imaging
Pylorus: clockwise rotation, shifts dorsally, cranially, and to the left
Body of stomach shifts towards the right
Spleen can become torsed
Severe gas and fluid distension of stomach usually
Can get pneumoperitoneum
