title: Diagnostic imaging features of normal anal sacs in dogs and cats.
abstract: This study was conducted to provide normal reference features for canine and feline anal sacs using ultrasound, low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radiograph contrast as diagnostic imaging tools. A total of ten clinically normal beagle dogs and eight clinically normally cats were included. General radiography with contrast, ultrasonography and low-field MRI scans were performed. The visualization of anal sacs, which are located at distinct sites in dogs and cats, is possible with a contrast study on radiography. Most surfaces of the anal sacs tissue, occasionally appearing as a hyperechoic thin line, were surrounded by the hypoechoic external sphincter muscle on ultrasonography. The normal anal sac contents of dogs and cats had variable echogenicity. Signals of anal sac contents on low-field MRI varied in cats and dogs, and contrast medium using T1-weighted images enhanced the anal sac walls more obviously than that on ultrasonography. In conclusion, this study provides the normal features of anal sacs from dogs and cats on diagnostic imaging. Further studies including anal sac evaluation are expected to investigate disease conditions.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Yechan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Eunseok
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Sangjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Jimo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Ul Soo
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Su
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Namsoo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Korea.
authors.forename: Kichang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000695:Anal Sacs / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004285:Dogs; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D011859:Radiography / Q000662:veterinary*; D012016:Reference Values; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: anal sac; dogs and cats; low-field magnetic resonance imaging; radiography; ultrasonography