COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF PULMONARY NODULE DENSITY AND DISTRIBUTION IN DOGS
Abstract: Computed tomography (CT) is increasingly utilized in veterinary medicine for thoracic imaging due to its high sensitivity in detecting pulmonary nodules, far surpassing traditional radiography. Pulmonary nodules in dogs may represent metastatic disease or primary lung tumors, and accurate...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AcademicPres
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Agricultura |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.usamvcluj.ro/index.php/agricultura/article/view/15171 |
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| Summary: | Abstract: Computed tomography (CT) is increasingly utilized in veterinary medicine for thoracic imaging due to its high sensitivity in detecting pulmonary nodules, far surpassing traditional radiography. Pulmonary nodules in dogs may represent metastatic disease or primary lung tumors, and accurate characterization of their distribution and radiodensity can inform diagnosis and management.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of pulmonary nodules within the lungs of dogs using CT and to determine whether nodule size correlates with radiodensity.
Methods: Ten client-owned dogs (6 females, 4 males; age range 2–12 years, mean ~8 years) with suspected pulmonary nodules underwent thoracic CT scanning. Images were acquired in dorsal recumbency using a multi-slice CT scanner at 130 kVp and 130 mA (slice thickness 10 mm). Nodule diameters were measured and categorized as small (3–5 mm), medium (5–10 mm), large (10–30 mm), or mass (>30 mm). For each representative nodule, CT attenuation (Hounsfield units, HU) was measured at three points within the nodule and in perinodular lung regions (at 3 mm and 7 mm around the nodule) to calculate average densities. One-way ANOVA was used to compare mean nodule and perinodular densities among size categories, with significance set at p<0.05.
Results: Three dogs had solitary large pulmonary masses (45–120 mm) while seven dogs had multiple nodules (ranging from a few up to “countless” >100 nodules in 3 cases). Nodules were identified in all lung lobes, but the highest aggregate counts occurred in the right caudal (diaphragmatic) lobe. CT attenuation of nodule interiors varied widely, from soft-tissue density (20–100 HU) to mineral-rich density (>150 HU in some nodules), and larger masses often exhibited heterogeneous attenuation with hypoattenuating (necrotic) centers. Mean perinodular lung parenchyma density was consistent with normal aerated lung (–500 to –800 HU). ANOVA analysis showed no significant differences in mean nodule density between size categories (p=0.88). Similarly, perinodular densities at 3 mm and 7 mm from the nodule did not differ significantly by nodule size (p=0.22 and p=0.37, respectively).
Conclusion: Thoracic CT provided detailed insight into the number, size, density, and distribution of pulmonary nodules in dogs. No correlation was found between nodule size and radiodensity, underscoring that even small nodules can have high solid-tissue attenuation and that nodule density likely |
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| ISSN: | 1221-5317 |