Ultrasound - adrenal glands, prostate, testicles, uterus+ovaries Flashcards
Why perform Adrenal gland U/S? (4)
Differentiation of primary and secondary hyperadrenocorticism
To investigate dorsal/retroperitoneal abdominal masses
To investigate hypertension causes (pheochromocytoma)
To search for metastasis
How to find the adrenals on U/S?
Look for phrenicoabdominal arteries and veins coming off the abdominal aorta. Vessels usually move caudally 45’C from aorta. EXCEPT for the phrenicoabdominal which moves slightly cranially.
Find kidney in sagittal view and move medially while following renal artery/vein, then move cranially. You should find the phrenicoabdo vessel, look around it. Left adrenal is easy to find, right one may be tricky due to being more cranially.
Adrenal gland size.
The length is dependent on the weight of the animal.
Dogs:
Left adrenal 10,7- 50,2 x 1,9- 2,4 mm
Right adrenal 12,4- 22,6 x 3.- 6 mm
Maximal width? 7,4 mm
Cats:
Left adrenal 4,5-13.3 x 3- 5,3 mm
Right adrenal 6.7- 13.7 x 2.9- 4.5 mm
Pheochromocytoma
a type of neuroendocrine tumor that grows from cells called chromaffin cells. they release catecholamines.
Are usually pretty big so findable on U/S.
If you have a cat with hypertension then this is a ddx.
Adrenal U/S - what do we see?
Layering sometimes visible but not always.
Medulla echogenic
Cortex; isoechogenic or hypoechogenic
No assessment of the functionality via U/S.
Mineralization (in cats is an incidental finding)
Indications for prostate U/S? (9)
Recurrent, chronic UTI
Haematuria
Dysuria
Dyschezia (difficulty pooping)
Prostatomegaly
FUO (fever of unknown origin)
Caudal abdominal pain
Orchitis
Haemospermia
Normal findings on prostate U/S.
Medium echogenicity, homogenous parenchyma
Fine/coarse echotexture
Smooth surface
On transverse plane has symmetrical lobes, hypoechoic vertical raphe and prostatic urethra.
Age related changes; increase in size and echogenicity + prostatic cysts.
Describe prostatitis.
Prostatitis can be secondary to all sorts of prostatic pathologies including BPH, masses and abscesses.
Describe benign prostatic hyperplasia.
testicles on U/S
Why U/S the testicles? (7)
Prostatic or urinary tract disease
Endocrine dysfunction
Testicular enlargement
Testicular mass
Testicular or scrotal pain
Investigation of cryptorchidism
Infertility work-up
testicle on U/S
Indications for Uterus and ovaries U/S. (6)
Preagnency diagnosis
Fetal development, viability
Vaginal discharge
Ovarian dysfunction, derangement of the normal estrus cycle
Abdominal masses
Abdominal pain
Normal uterus and ovaries on U/S.
Normally the uterus is a tubular hypoechoic structure between the bladder and descending colon.
The ovaries are caudolateral to the kidney next to the body wall.
Anestrus is difficult to detect.
Proestrus, estrus- larger hypoechoic structure in ovaries.
normal ovaries
How to find the uterus on U/S?
find urinary bladder in sagittal view first
then turn transverse, and find colon.
look at the lateral sides of the colon. the uterine should be next to it or between it and the bladder. it may move around with bladder fill.
may look like a line under the bladder.
If you move cranially, you find the bifurcation and eventually two horns.
How to find the ovaries on U/S?
find the kidneys, then move caudally in the same plane, then look superficially to the abdominal wall. don’t push cause that will move the ovary away.
Determining gestational age with U/S.
Use anamnesis of days from breeding in combination with U/S findings.
20 days = you can see gestational sac
23-25 days = embryo
35-39 days = fetus
Ruling out pregnancy with U/S.
Diagnosis of fetal distress.
Smaller in cats of course.
By day 28 postpartum in cats, uterus visible but no wall layers seen.
