title: Sonographic characteristics of presumptively normal main axillary and superficial cervical lymph nodes in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the B-mode and Doppler ultrasonographic appearance of presumptively normal main axillary and large superficial cervical lymph nodes (MALNs and SCLNs, respectively) in adult dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  51 healthy adult dogs (data from 1 dog were not analyzed).
  
  
  METHODS
  For each dog, weight, distance from the cranial aspect of the first sternebra to the caudal aspect of the left ischiatic tuberosity, and thoracic height and width at the level of the xiphoid process were recorded. Via B-mode and Doppler ultrasonography, echogenic characteristics, size in relation to body size and weight, and vascular supply of the MALNs and the SCLNs were evaluated (1 SCLN in 1 dog was not ultrasonographically visible).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most MALNs were clearly margined, solitary, and ovoid; echopatterns were homogenous or cortical and hypo- to isoechoic, compared with surrounding soft tissues. Size measurements of MALNs correlated with dogs' body length, thoracic width and height, and body weight. Most SCLNs were clearly margined, fusiform, and hypoechoic (compared with surrounding soft tissues) with a cortical or homogenous echopattern. Size measurements of SCLNs correlated with dogs' body length, thoracic width and height, and body weight. In 50 of the 100 MALNs, an intranodal vascular supply was detected; in contrast, an intranodal vascular supply in SCLNs was detected infrequently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicated that, in dogs, anatomically separate lymph nodes have different echogenic and vascular characteristics; body size (skeletal length, height, and width), along with body weight, were correlated with sizes of presumptively normal MALNs and SCLNs.
authors: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada. tawni.silver@usask.ca
authors: Tawni I
authors: TI
authors: Silver
authors: Joshua A
authors: JA
authors: Lawson
authors: Monique N
authors: MN
authors: Mayer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D013909:Thorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary