title: Experimental clonorchiasis in dogs: CT findings before and after treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether disease activity in clonorchiasis can be assessed with dynamic computed tomography (CT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten dogs infected with metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis underwent serial dynamic CT examinations. Five dogs were sacrificed 14 weeks after infection, and another five infected dogs were treated with praziquantel at the 14th week and continued to undergo CT examinations until death or sacrifice at the 25th (n = 1) or 40th week (n = 4). CT images were evaluated for dilatation of the bile ducts, contrast enhancement of bile duct walls and adjacent hepatic parenchyma, visualization of flukes within the bile ducts, and presence of calcifications. Changes in CT findings were analyzed statistically by using a mixed linear model and a generalized estimating equations model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dilatation of the bile ducts, contrast enhancement of the ductal walls, transient hepatic attenuation differences, and flukes per se were observed at CT from the 2nd through the 5th week, were most apparent between the 5th and 13th weeks, and disappeared or decreased markedly in degree after treatment in all dogs (P <.05). Nodular calcifications were observed at CT after treatment in two dogs. Histopathologic examination revealed proliferation and enlargement of arteries in the periductal area and the portal tracts and congestion of hepatic sinusoids during the acute phase. Treatment was associated with periductal hyalinization, degeneration of the periductal arteries, and calcification of the ductal epithelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disease activity in experimental canine clonorchiasis can be assessed with dynamic CT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology and the Institute of Radiation Medicine, Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Joon Koo
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Chang Jin
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Sun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Se Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung Ihn
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002758:Cholangiography; D003003:Clonorchiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D011223:Praziquantel