Radiography lecture III Flashcards
At what point of expiration should an abdominal radiograph be taken? Why?
Maximum expiration
Minimizes noise from respiration
What portion of the abdomen is visualized on an abdominal radiograph?
Diaphragm to coxofemoral joint
What are the standard views for abdominal radiographs?
Right lateral
ventrodorsal
Why would a left lateral view be used during an abdomenal radiograph?
Highlight different structures (pylorus)
What is the purpose of compression views?
Reduce superimposition
What is the benefit of a horizontal view?
Highlights free gas
What is serousal detail?
Visualizing serousal margins of abdominal organs
What causes the contrast of structures in the abdomen?
peritoneal fat
What might cause poor serousal detail?
Emaciation
Young animal (brown fat)
Fluid in peritoneal space
Excessive scatter of ray due to large dog
Why does brown fat cause less serousal detail?
Higher water content
Are nipples easily seen on a radiograph?
Yes
Is the prepuce seen on a radiograph?
Yes
Why can only the thoracic surface of the diaphragm be seen?
Border effacement with liver
Which part of the liver is easiest to see in dogs? Cats?
Most caudoventral lobe
Left lateral in dogs
Right lateral in cats
What is the gastric axis?
Line from the fundus to the caudal part of stomach
What is the gastric axis used to measure?
Liver size
Where is the gastric axis seen in a lateral view in healthy animals?
Parallel to intercostal spaces
What is may be seen in the gastric axis of healthy deep chested dogs in lateral radiographs?
Perpendicular to vertebrae
What is a sign of enlarged liver (hepatomegaly)?
Gastric axis moves caudal to ribs
What is a sign of atrophied liver (microhepatia)?
Gastric axis is perpendicular to vertebrae
What are the 2 types of splenic enlargement seen on radiographs?
Focal, Diffuse
Is the healthy pancreas seen on a radiograph?
No
If look for a pancreas on a dog, what anatomic landmark would you look for?
Right limb association with descending duodenum
If looking for a pancreas on a cat, what anatomic landmark would you look for?
Left limb following greater curvature
What retroperitoneal structures are visible?
Lumbar muscles
Kidneys
Are retroperitoneal blood vessels visible on radiographs?
Sometimes
What retroperitoneal structures are not normally seen?
Uterers, adrenal glands, lymph nodes and vessels
Where is the location of kidneys in cats (vertebrae)?
L1-L5
Where is the location of kidneys in dogs (vertebrae)?
T13-L3
How big are healthy kidneys in the dog?
2.5 - 3.5x length of L2
How big are healthy kidneys in the cat?
2 - 3x length of L2
Is it possible to visualize ureters?
Only with contrast
Why is it difficult to see the bladder in a VD view?
Superimposition of spine and colon
What would be a visible sign of adrenal gland enlargement?
Caudal & lateral displacement of adjacent kidney
Is the uterus seen in an abdominal radiograph?
Not normally
When can a gravid uterus be see on radiograph?
25-30 days
When are embryos mineralized enough to be seen on radiograph in dogs? cats?
cats: 35-39 days
dogs: 42-45 days
Is the prostate visible in dogs? Cats?
Sometimes in dogs
Never in cats or neutered dogs
What is a sign of an enlarged prostate?
Normally visible triangle of fat between bladder and ventral body wall is obscured
Positive or negative contrast can be used to visualize the GI tract. What is positive contrast? Negative?
Barium
Gas
What is the difference between visualizing cat and dog stomachs?
Cats remain in left cranial quadrant
Dog stomach span left to right body wall
What organs does the stomach lie between?
Caudal to liver
Cranial to head of spleen
What % of the visible small intestine is gas content in a fasted dog?
30-60%
What % of the visible small intestine is gas content in a fasted cat?
Very little to none
What size should small intestines be in the cat?
No greater than 2x body height of L4 in lateral view (12mm)
What size should the small intestines be in the dog?
1.6x the body height of L5 on lateral view
Where are the small intestines seen in obese cats?
Bunched ventrally to the right
is the cecum visible in a dog radiograph? If so, what shape is it? Cat?
Yes, C-shaped
No
What is the cecum a landmark for?
Cecocolic junction
What is the ascending colon a landmark for?
Ileocolic junction
What is usually seen in the cecum of the dog?
Gas
How large should the diameter of the large intestine be in dogs? Cats?
Less than/= to length of L7
1.3x length of L5
Are healthy lymph nodes seen on radiographs?
No
Where are the abdominal lymph nodes?
Medial iliac
Internal iliac
Mesenteric
Where are medial iliac lymph nodes present?
L6/L7 to sacrum
Dorsal to descending colon
What is the most prominent mesenteric lymph node?
Cranial mesenteric
Where is the cranial mesenteric lymph node located?
Central abdomen
What is a sign of enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes?
Intestines displaced in all directions
What is a sign of an enlarged medial iliac lymph node?
Ventrally displaced descending colon
