Ultrasonography of portosystemic shunts in dogs and cats.
Ultrasonography is a rapid, accurate, noninvasive diagnostic test for primary (congenital) and secondary (acquired) portosystemic shunting in dogs and cats. Two-dimensional, gray-scale ultrasonography alone enables diagnosis of most congenital portosystemic shunts and determination of intra- versus extrahepatic location. Use of duplex- and color-flow Doppler ultrasonography aids detection of congenital and acquired extrahepatic portosystemic shunts. The underlying cause of acquired portosystemic shunting is portal hypertension; this may be documented by finding either hepatofugal or reduced velocity hepatopetal portal blood flow by duplex-Doppler. Also, ultrasonography may enable detection of lesions involved in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension, for example, hepatic arterioportal fistula, hepatic parenchymal lesions, and portal vein thrombosis.
Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, United Kingdom.
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Lamb
D000818:Animals; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002415:Cats / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004285:Dogs / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008099:Liver / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000662:veterinary; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex / Q000662:veterinary; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging