No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Imaging diagnosis of gastrointestinal foreign bodies in dogs and cats: Part 1
Abstract
Gastrointestinal foreign bodies are encountered relatively commonly in small animal practice and are an important differential diagnosis in patients presented for vomiting. However, the radiographic diagnosis of foreign bodies is not always easy, as other conditions (e.g. pancreatitis and acute gastroenteritis) can cause similar clinical signs, and radiographs are not always conclusive. Therefore, ultrasonography has been increasingly used as an additional imaging modality. But this technique also has its disadvantages. This article aims to outline how radiography and ultrasonography can be best utilised in the diagnosis of foreign bodies, and typical imaging findings and potential pitfalls are discussed.
ResearchGate has not been able to resolve any citations for this publication.
DIAGNOSTIC information provided by plain radiographs of the gastrointestinal tract is often limited due to the relatively poor contrast between structures. The gastrointestinal tract anatomically comprises the oesophagus, stomach, small and large intestines, pancreas, mesentery and associated lymph nodes. Contrast radiography is less useful for the investigation of the pancreas, mesentery and lymph nodes. For the small animal practitioner, its value lies in its ability to provide information about the size, shape, position and mucosal surfaces of the oesophagus, stomach and intestines, and aid the detection of many structural lesions; in addition, it allows a crude evaluation of transit time. Contrast procedures are relatively simple to perform in practice although they can be time consuming and, hence, expensive. These techniques should not be embarked upon without considering the clinical indications and whether they are likely to yield diagnostic information. This article describes how to conduct and interpret contrast radiographic studies of the oesophagus, stomach and intestines.