ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MALIGNANCY AND SONOGRAPHIC HETEROGENEITY IN CANINE AND FELINE ABDOMINAL LYMPH NODES

• Published in: Veterinary radiology & ultrasound Vol. 48; no. 6; pp. 565 - 569
• Main Authors: KINNS, JENNIFER, MAI, WILFRIED
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Malden, USA Malden, USA : Blackwell Publishing Inc 01-11-2007; Blackwell Publishing Inc
• Subjects: Abdomen - diagnostic imaging; Animals; benign course; Case-Control Studies; cat; Cat Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Cat Diseases - pathology; Cats; dog; Dog Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Dog Diseases - pathology; Dogs; heterogeneity; lymph nodes; Lymph Nodes - diagnostic imaging; Lymphoma - diagnostic imaging; Lymphoma - veterinary; malignant course; neoplasms; Predictive Value of Tests; Retrospective Studies; ultrasonography; Ultrasonography, Doppler - veterinary
• ISSN: 1058-8183; 1740-8261
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2007.00298.x

Abdominal lymph node enlargement is frequently noted sonographically. Certain sonographic features can be used to suggest whether lymphadenopathy is more likely benign or malignant. Specific changes in size, shape, echogenicity, and Doppler flow patterns have an association with malignancy. In this retrospective case-control study, the association between abdominal lymph node heterogeneity and malignancy was evaluated. Twenty-three canine and 18 feline patients with ultrasonographically heterogeneous abdominal nodes were evaluated for presence of benign or malignant lymphadenopathy. Controls were animals with lymph node enlargement of uniform echogeneity. Twenty-one (91%) of heterogeneous canine lymph nodes were malignant, and there was a significant association between heterogeneity and malignancy in canine abdominal lymph nodes (P=0.024). Seven (63%) heterogeneous feline lymph nodes were malignant, with no significant association between heterogeneity and malignancy (P=0.537).