Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Vol 8, Issue 11 621-630, Copyright © 1989 by American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
Ultrasonographic appearance of primary and metastatic canine hepatic tumors. A review of 48 cases
M. B. Whiteley, D. A. Feeney, L. O. Whiteley and R. M. Hardy
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108.
Forty-eight cases of dogs with primary and metastatic hepatic neoplasia
were reviewed to determine if a predictable relationship between
sonographic appearance and neoplastic cell type could be found. A focal
mass was almost always a hepatocellular carcinoma (14 of 15) and 71% of
these were hyperechoic. Focal or multifocal hyperechoic masses were most
likely to be carcinomas (14 of 15). Focal or multifocal mixed neoplasms
were most likely to be carcinomas (6 of 7). Two distinct patterns of
lymphosarcoma were found: diffuse, mildly hyperechoic (6/11) and
multifocal, hypoechoic (5/11). No neoplastic cell-type predictions could be
made for focal or multifocal hypoechoic lesions. Diffuse fine or coarse
patterns with minimal architectural distortions could be mistaken for
normal or degenerative processes. However, in the presence of increased
serum liver enzyme values, these subtle sonographic changes would warrant a
liver biopsy to differentiate neoplastic infiltrate from non-neoplastic
infiltrative and degenerative processes.
