title: Ultrasonographic features of grass awn migration in the dog.
abstract: The aim of this study was to describe the ultrasonographic features of grass awns in soft tissue. A 10 MHz linear transducer was used. Ultrasound images from 25 dogs (27 awns) were collected and compared with the results from water bath studies using wild oat seeds (Avena spp.) collected in the field. Wild oat seeds were the most common grass awn found in soft tissue of dogs. Ultrasonographically grass awns appeared as a double/triple spindle-shaped echogenic interface within soft tissue. The same appearance was observed in water bath studies. In four dogs, the grass awn was removed surgically with a clamp introduced into a fistulous tract, using sonographic guidance. The grass awn was not found surgically in only three dogs, suggesting more attention during surgery. Ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic imaging technique to identify grass awns within soft tissue.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Radiologia e Diagnostica per Immagini, Dipartimento di Salute Animale, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Parma, Italy. giacomo.gnudi@unipr.it
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gnudi
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Volta
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonazzi
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gazzola
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertoni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography