title: Comparison of computed tomography pulmonary angiography and point-of-care tests for pulmonary thromboembolism diagnosis in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of CT pulmonary angiography for identification of naturally occurring pulmonary thromboembolism in dogs using predefined diagnostic criteria and to assess the ability of echocardiography, cardiac troponins, D-dimers and kaolin-activated thromboelastography to predict the presence of pulmonary thromboembolism in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve dogs with immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia and evidence of respiratory distress were prospectively evaluated. Dogs were sedated immediately before CT pulmonary angiography using intravenous butorphanol. Spiral CT pulmonary angiography was performed with a 16 detector-row CT scanner using a pressure injector to infuse contrast media through peripheral intravenous catheters. Pulmonary thromboembolism was diagnosed using predefined criteria. Contemporaneous tests included echocardiography, arterial blood gas analysis, kaolin-activated thromboelastography, D-dimers and cardiac troponins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on predefined criteria, four dogs were classified as pulmonary thromboembolism positive, three dogs were suspected to have pulmonary thromboembolism and the remaining five dogs had negative scans. The four dogs identified with pulmonary thromboembolism all had discrete filling defects in main or lobar pulmonary arteries. None of the contemporaneous tests was discriminant for pulmonary thromboembolism diagnosis, although the small sample size was limiting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT pulmonary angiography can be successfully performed in dogs under sedation, even in at-risk patients with respiratory distress and can both confirm and rule out pulmonary thromboembolism in dogs.
authors: Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, AL9 7TA.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Goggs
authors: D L
authors: DL
authors: Chan
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Benigni
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Hirst
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Kellett-Gregory
authors: V L
authors: VL
authors: Fuentes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D013916:Thrombelastography / Q000662:veterinary; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary; D014336:Troponin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D014336:Troponin; C036309:fibrin fragment D