Urogenital imaging Flashcards
What is pollakuria?
Frequent urination
What is stranguria?
Straining, painful urination
What is dysuria?
Difficult, painful urination
What is polyuria?
Abnormally large amounts of dilute urine
What is anuria?
Inability to pass urine
What is plain radiography NOT good for assessing (in terms of urogenital imaging)?
Internal structures
Ureters
What imaging methods are best for assessing internal architecture and luminal spaces?
Contrast radiography
Ultrasound
Which imaging method is best for assessing ureters?
Contrast radiography
Is a normal uterus visible on radiography?
No - unless greatly enlarged
Why is it difficult to see a uterus on ultrasound?
Between bladder (ventrally) and descending colon (dorsally)
How does pyometra appear radiographically?
Dilated soft tissue loops between bladder and colon
Mass effect displaces intestines cranially and dorsally
How does pyometra appear on ultrasound?
Fluid dilation of uterine horns and body
Thin or thick, cystic walls
Name 3 causes of prostatomegaly
Prostatitis
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Prostatic neoplasia
Does non-neoplastic prostate disease mainly affect neutered or entire dogs?
Entire
How does prostatitis appear on imaging?
Marked enlargement
Shape can be regular or irregular
May see loss of serial detail and mineralisation
Does prostatic neoplasia mainly affect neutered or entire dogs?
Neutered!
Does benign prostatic hyperplasia mainly affect neutered or entire dogs?
Entire
Where does a prostatic neoplasia tend to metastasise to? (3 main places)
Medial and iliac lymph nodes
Lumbar vertebrae
Lungs
What are the 3 basic contrast studies for the urinary tract?
Cystography
Retrograde (vagino) urethrogram
Intravenous urography
Are positive or negative contrast medias used in the urinary tract?
Positive - iodine based
Negative - air/gas can only used in cystography!
Intravenous urography is the radiographic study of which structures?
Renal parenchyma
Ureters
Bladder
What is required for a successful intravenous urography?
Adequate renal function and hydration Good patient prep (fasting, enema) GA/heavy sedation Multiple VD and lateral radiographs at short intervals Time!
When is intravenous urography contraindicated?
If inadequate renal function
Dehydration
Iodine hypersensitivity
What type of imaging is best to assess urinary tract mucosal details?
Double contrast cystograhphy
both positive and negative contrast media - causes thin coating on mucosa
What imaging method should be used to assess cystitis?
Double contrast cystography
How do bladder calculi appear on ultrasound?
Hyperechoic (white) structures in the dependent part of the bladder
Strong distal shadowing
Where is the main predilection site for bladder masses?
Trigone
Also dorsal bladder wall
What radiography imaging method should be used if a ruptured bladder is suspected?
Positive contrast radiography
Will show leakage of contrast
How does a bladder rupture appear on ultrasound?
Unable to show defect
But can see free fluid
What imaging method is the only way to accurately assess a urethra and it’s patency?
Retrograde (vagino)urethrogram
What is the normal size of a kidney in cats and dogs (on a VD radiograph)?
Dogs - 2.5-3.5X length of L2
Cats - 1.9-2.6X length of L2
When is a pneumocystogram contraindicated?
Severe haematuria or suspected trauma
Risk of air embolism
