title: Contrast-enhanced harmonic ultrasonography of medial iliac lymph nodes in healthy dogs.
abstract: Herein, we describe the normal contrast-enhanced harmonic, color, and power Doppler ultrasonographic characteristics of the medial iliac lymph nodes in healthy dogs. Contrast-enhanced harmonic ultrasonography of the medial iliac lymph nodes was performed on 14 healthy dogs after intravenous administration of the lipoprotein-bound inert gas-filled microbubble contrast media Definity. Time-pixel intensity curves were generated for 1-min postinjection. Quantification of these curves was performed using Philips QLab software. Non-contrast-enhanced power and color Doppler examinations were performed in each node to assess vascular patterns subjectively. Normal lymph nodes exhibited a mean contrast wash-in phase beginning at 6.3 s from the time of injection with mean peak pixel intensity at 12.1s. Angioarchitecture was best visualized with contrast-enhanced harmonic ultrasound compared with power and color Doppler. Normal lymph nodes in dogs have a central artery with a centrifugal and uniform branching pattern. Contrast-enhanced harmonic ultrasonography is a noninvasive examination that demonstrates improved visibility of the intranodal architecture of healthy medial iliac lymph nodes in dogs compared with conventional, non-contrast-enhanced Doppler methods that may have future clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA. lgaschen@vetmed.lsu.edu
authors.forename: Lorrie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaschen
authors.forename: Nik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Angelette
authors.forename: Rhett
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stout
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007085:Ilium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media