References
Small animal Review
Abstract
Introduction:
Computed tomography is an advanced imaging modality, giving detailed three-dimensional images with good differentiation between tissue densities, useful for orthopaedic and soft tissue imaging. The use of contrast improves its accuracy when imaging soft tissues and allows angiography. Computed tomography has become much more widely available in practice in the UK in recent years, with most referral centres and some larger primary practices now boasting their own facilities, often used by other practices when referring cases for outpatient scans. Studies regarding the use of computed tomography are thus becoming more relevant to the general practitioner as well as the referral clinician, and this month's Small Animal Review presents three studies on its use in different conditions.
Oetelaar et al (2022) reported the results of a retrospective multi-centre case series describing the computed tomography (CT) appearance of sialocoeles in dogs. Previous publications on this subject have only given brief descriptions of a limited number of cases. This study included 13 sialocoeles from 12 dogs, seven cervical, three complex, two sublingual and one zygomatic. All dogs had cytological or histological confirmation of the diagnosis, and all cases had pre- and post-contrast CT studies with the head included. All the sialocoeles had contents that were soft tissue attenuating and non-contrast enhancing. The external margins were smooth, but in some cases the internal margins had nodular or frond-like protrusions. Mineralised foci were seen in seven cases, three of which were identified histologically as sialoliths and two as osseous metaplasia. The authors noted that the nodular and frond-like appearances of the internal margins of the wall is a new finding in this area of study.
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