Spleen Disorders<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\nEveryone <\/span>seems to be<\/span> familiar with \u201cthe spleen\u201d \u2013 yet a lot of people <\/span>don\u2019t<\/span> really know what it does. <\/span>The spleen is a large tongue-like organ which acts as a large lymph node<\/span>,<\/span> and although pets can live without their spleen, it does have <\/span>an important role<\/span>! The spleen is the site of production and clearance of blood \u2013 so think of it <\/span>like<\/span> the body\u2019s internal blood bank.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat the Radiologist Sees:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Signs of reactivity due to immune stimulation\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Red blood cell production in the form of nodules (a growth of abnormal tissue) or haziness.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- More significant diseases include large and complex masses often at risk for life-threatening bleeding, which can be:<\/span>\n
\n- Cancerous (commonly vascular cancer like hemangiosarcoma)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Benign but still significant (such as hematoma \u2013 a collection of blood outside the blood vessels)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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4. Kidney and <\/span>B<\/span>ladder <\/span>D<\/span>isease<\/span>\u202f<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nVarying<\/span> degrees of kidney degeneration are commonly seen, often incidentally, on ultrasound. Otherwise, if a pet shows signs of kidney dysfunction <\/span>on<\/span> bloodwork, an ultrasound will be performed to evaluate <\/span>what\u2019s<\/span> going on with your pet\u2019s kidneys. Additionally, since kidneys are an important part of the urinary tract, <\/span>an ultrasound can also help <\/span>identify<\/span> bladder problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat the Radiologist Sees:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Chronic kidney changes include:<\/span>\n
\n- Small size<\/span><\/li>\n
- Irregular margins<\/span><\/li>\n
- Mineral or fibrotic foci (bright specks)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Stone formation<\/span><\/li>\n
- Decreased detail<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Acute kidney disease from infection or toxicity often shows:<\/span>\n
\n- Brightness throughout the kidney<\/span><\/li>\n
- Abnormal dilation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Surrounding inflammation in the form of bright fat and fluid around the kidney<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- Kidney cancer is seen uncommonly, but will present as a mass or nodule significantly distorting the normal tissues<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Common urinary bladder disease often shows:<\/span>\n
\n- Signs of abnormal particles in the urine (crystals, infection, blood)<\/span><\/li>\n
- Smooth to mildly irregular wall thickening in pets with sterile inflammatory disease of infection<\/span><\/li>\n
- Very abnormal wall thickening with possible mineralization in pets with bladder cancer<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Ad<\/span>renal Diseases<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nAdrenal glands produce a variety of hormones <\/span>in the body <\/span>such as adrenaline, as well as the steroids aldosterone and cortisol.<\/span> When the adrenal glands <\/span>aren\u2019t<\/span> functioning properly, they can cause <\/span>an overproduction<\/span> or underproduction of hormones. <\/span>This can lead to symptoms such as abnormal thirst, excessive urination, excessive eating, weight gain, and hair loss<\/span>, as well as changes in blood pressure and blood sugar<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhat the Radiologist Sees:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n- Adrenal lesions are so commonly seen in dogs, the term \u201cincidentaloma\u201d has been used for the infamous small nodules observed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
- Older dogs frequently develop small nodules which can represent:<\/span>\n
\n- Benign hyperplasia (benign growth of tissue)<\/span><\/li>\n
- A benign type of tumor called an adenoma \u2013 which may or may not be abnormally secreting hormones\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n- When both adrenal glands similarly enlarge, this is usually due to pituitary disease (Cushing\u2019s Disease or hyperadrenocorticism) providing excess stimulation to the adrenal glands.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
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