CASE STUDY: Vimago contrast CT for Foreign Body
Aticle courtesy of EPICA MEDICAL INNOVATIONS
May 25, 2016
Small Animal Case Review by Dr. Bob O'Brien, DVM, DACVR
Patient 10-year-old male, neutered Cavalier King Spaniel.
History Choking, gasping, coughing, difficulty eating, bark change for several days.
Image
Protocol A survey and post- i.v. contrast CT study was performed of the nasal cavity and skull.
Findings
Increased soft tissue material was seen in both nasal cavities (Figure 1). Normal turbinates were noted within this affected region without evidence of lysis or mass effect. A small (6 mm long by 1 mm wide and tall) mildly boney lesion was seen in the mid-rostral right nasal cavity (Figures 2 & 3). No mass lesions was seen to be associated with this linear-shaped lesion. Mild undulation of the septum was noted as a normal= breed variant (Figure 4). The right tympanic bulla was filled with soft tissue material and there was no evidence of either lysis or proliferation in the bulla wall (Figure 5). The left tympanic bulla was normal. Mild multifocal mineralization was seen in the horizontal and vertical ear canals bilaterally.
Imaging Diagnosis Nasal cavity: possible foreign material (or atypical dystrophic mineralization) Right tympanic bulla: otitis media (mild, acute).
Final Diagnosis Blades of grass were removed from the right nasal cavity on rhinoscopic evaluation. The otitis resolved on empirical antibiotics. The patient is now clinically normal.
This case is an excellent example of nonaggressive changes seen very well on the Vimago™ system due the exceptionally high spatial resolution. The excellent contrast resolution allowed identification and characterization of the grass material.
Discussion CT is very sensitive to changes within the nasal cavities. The assessment of aggressive (versus nonaggressive) changes in the nasal cavity is based on presence of turbinate destruction, boney septum deviation or lysis, mass effect, and lysis of surrounding nasal vault. Staging the mass often hinges on presence of brain involvement. Non aggressive lesions include immune mediated, infectious (especially fungal), dental and foreign body causes. This case is an excellent example of nonaggressive changes seen very well on the Vimago™ system due the exceptionally high spatial resolution. The excellent contrast resolution allowed identification and characterization of the grass material.
Special Thank you to Dr. Lyman and his team @ Animal Emergency and Referral Clinicnimal Emergency and Referral Clinic in Ft. Pierce, FL.
______________________________________________________________________________
Just Imaging is proud to be working with Epica to bring new innovations in Animal Diagnostic Imaging to Australia.
What sets Vimago™ apart from other CT devices? Watch this short video.
What could you be missing with your current imaging system?
Imaging is a rapidly advancing technology and it's easy to get left behind and misdiagnose with older systems that feature lower resolution images, poor spacial resolution. They also use substantially more radiation that today's High-Definition (HD) Computed Tomography (CT) platforms.
With the advances in technology HD CT scanners cost less to purchase, less to maintain, and have considerably lower facility costs; using 60-90% less radiation than standard CT, while providing ultra clear, high resolution images - ensuring you're not missing anything.
For more information on the Vimago please contact Australia: Toll Free 1800 838 420
