DI exam 2

What are the standard radiographic views for the abdomen

Left and right lateral and a VD

Should the pelvic limbs be pulled caudally for a VD or lateral of the abdomen

no, the femur should be perpendicular to the lumbar spine

Why should the pelvic limbs not be pulled caudally when radiographing the abdomen

The skin folds can create linear opacities and cause crowding of the caudal abdomen

Describe what a correct abdominal x-ray would look like

The xray would contain from the diaphragm to the urinary bladder, the vertebrae would be lined up with even disc spaces and lined up spinous processes, and the femur would be perpendicular to the lumbar spine

All abdominal xrays should contain what cranial and caudal borders

diaphragm to urinary bladder

Which image is showing correct positioning for a VD abdomen

Left

If an organ is full covered by visceral peritoneum

intraperitoneal

The kidneys are only partially covered by peritoneum making them

retroperitoneal

The abdominal cavity is continuous with what other cavity

pelvic

What species has better serosal detail due to a greater amount of fat in the abdomen

cat

Which image is feline

left

What organs are easily identifiable in an abdominal x-ray

liver, spleen, kidneys, urinary bladder, stomach, small intestine, large intestine

What organ is being outlined in the image

liver

The liver is positioned between the

diaphragm and stomach

The liver should be contained within

the margins of the rib cage

The margins of the liver should be

sharp

The position of the liver in VD depends on

the fill of the stomach

The stomach is filled with soft tissue opacity and gas in the image, how is it displacing the liver

ventrally

What part of the spleen is mobile

tail

The head of the spleen is held in place by the

gastrosplenic ligament

The head of the spleen is close to what other anatomical structure

fundus of the stomach

What is being outlined in this radiograph

tail of the spleen

What is being outlined in this radiograph

head of the spleen

The spleen is located on what side of the abdomen

mid-left

In cats the spleen is only seen in what x-ray positioning

VD

A small radioluscent opacity is seen in the center of a kidney on a feline patient. What is causing this opacity?

fat in the renal hilus

Normal kidney size in a canine

2.5-3.5x L2 body length

Normal kidney size in a feline

2.4-3x L2 body length

What is being outlined in this radiograph

kidney

Which kidney is positioned more cranially

right

What is being outlined in this x-ray

urinary bladder

What might cause gas to be seen within the urinary bladder

U-cath or cystocentesis

What species can you commonly see the urethra on x-ray

feline

The urinary bladder is seen where in this image

ventral midline

Where is the fundus of the stomach located

dorsal and left of midline

Where is the pylorus of the stomach located

ventral and right of midline

What may shift stomach position and axis

hepatomegaly

What might be seen when the stomach has gas in it on x-ray

rugal folds

In a right lateral x-ray what part of the stomach will fill with gas

fundus

In a left lateral x-ray what part of the stomach will fill with gas

pylorus

The duodenum travels caudally on what side of the abdomen

right

Can you distinguish between the jejunum and ileum on x-rays

no

Normal SI diameter in a dog

1.5x body height of L2

Normal SI diameter in cats

12mm

Normal LI diameter in cats

<1.28x body height of L5

The descending colon is positioned on what side of the abdomen

left

The cecum appears as a gas filled structure in the right-mid abdomen. Do dogs or cats have a more developed cecum?

dogs

What species rarely has an empty LI

cats

What is causing the radioluscency in the center of the kidney

fat in the renal hilus

When is it indicated to take abdominal radiographs

acute abdominal pain, pain or distension, vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, palpable mass, stranguria, hematuria, trauma, chemistry abnormalities suggesting liver or kidney disease

Additional abdominal radiographs

compression, horizonal beam, perineal view, special procedures

What can you use to take a compression abdominal radiograph

wooden spoon

How do you adjust mAs and kVp to increase contrast

high mAs and low kVp

Low kVp reduces what kind of scatter

Compton

When should you use the grid to minimize scatter

body depth >10 cm

Abdominal structures that are not normally visible unless enlarged or have an abnormal opacity

gallbladder, pancreas, LNs, adrenal glands, ureters, ovaries/uterus, prostate (unless intact male)

What species normally has mineralized adrenal glands

cats

Roentgen signs

size, shape, opacity, margination, location, number

Fluid has the sampe opacity as

soft tissue

Superimposition

overlapping anatomical structures or external objects in a 2D image

Border effacement

loss of clear visualization of an organ’s margin causing an inability to clearly distinguish boundaries of soft tissue structures due to contact with another organ or fluid

Summation

radiographic effect in which 2 or more superimposed structures add to the total radiopacity or radiolucency in the image

What causes summation

superimposition of 2 or more structures

This image shows generalized loss of

abdominal serosal detail

Ultrasonography is more sensitive when it ocmes to identifying fluid in the abdomen, what amount of fluid can an ultrasound detect

4 mL/kg

What amount of fluid can a radiograph detect

8 mL/kg

What are pathologic reasons for loss of serosal detail

effusion, cellular infiltration, peritonitis, carcinomatosis, mass, organomegaly, too little fat, too much fat

What are non-pathologic reasons for loss of serosal detail

age, wet fur artifact, food filled GIT, feces filled colon, full urinary bladder, gravid uterus, improper exposure

How would you describe this abdominal radiograph

pendulous abdomen with generalized peritoneal effusion

What is going on in this radiograph

normal puppy

This is an example of an xray of an overconditioned or underconditioned patient

overconditioned

This is a radiograph from an overconditioned or underconditioned patient

underconditioned

What is going on in this radiograph

Right sided cranioventral abdominal mass

Mass effect

when organs are displaced from their normal position due to a space-occupying structure

Mass effect can help localize the

origin of the mass

A: cranial

B: central

C: caudal

What organs are located in the cranial abdomen

pancreas, liver, gallbladder, stomach, duodenum

What organs are located in the central abdomen

spleen, intestines, LNs, mesentery

What organs are located in the caudal abdomen

urinary bladder, urethra, prostate, uterus, colon

This abdominal distension is most likely caused by

food bloat

What is seen in this image

splenic mass

CHANG is an acronym that can be used for

determining the type of mass

What does CHANG stand for

cyst, hematoma, abscess, neoplasia, granuloma

What can cause mass lesions

infection, inflammation, obstruction, torsion, hypertrophy, hyperplasia, hollo viscus enlargement

The retroperitoneum communicates with

mediastinum and perianal region

What organs might you see in the retroperitoneum

kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters

Causes for loss of retroperitoneal detail

hemorrhage, urine, neoplasia, abscess, foreign body granuloma

Free gas in the abdomen will increase or decrease contrast

increase

What can make it difficult to detect free gas in the abdomen

free fluid

What can cause pneumoperitoneum

post-operative, perforation of GIT, penetration of abdominal all, ruptured abscess, migrating foreign body with fistula or cutaneous communication, open skin wounds

Post-operatively you might see what in the abdomen on a radiograph that will go away overtime

gas

What is seen in these radiographs

free gas in the abdomen

Besides the GDV, wht else can be seen in these radiographs

pneumoperitoneum

Horizontal beam radiogrpahy is used for the detection of

free gas

Why do you put a patient into left lateral recumbency to take horizontal beam radiographs

so the larger part of the stomach is down and won’t fill with gas, this makes it easier to detect free gas in the abdomen

What 2 things can be seen in this horizontal beam radiograph

free gas and free fluid in the abdomen

What is seen in this x-ray

pneumoretroperitoneum

What might cause a pneumoretroperitoneum

extension of a pneumomediastinum, puncture wound, migrating foreign body with a fistula or cutaneous communication, open wound at perianal region

Generalized hepatomegaly causes what kind of displacement to the gastric axis

caudal, dorsal, left

Generalized hepatomegaly causes what displacement of the descending duodenum

left