DETECTION OF CARDIAC MASSES IN DOGS BY TWO‐DIMENSIONAL ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY

Abstract

From a two‐year review of diagnostic two‐dimensional real‐time echocardiographic studies, a diagnosis of cardiac mass lesion was made in 18 dogs. Thirteen of 18 also had pericardial effusion. Three types of lesions were identified: (1) right atrial masses (7 dogs; 5 confirmed as hemangiosarcoma) originating from the wall of the right atrium of right auricle and projecting into the atrial lumen, pericardial space, or both; (2) large cavitary pericardial masses (2 dogs; both confirmed as abscesses) located over the right ventricle; (3) heartbase masses (9 dogs; 6 confirmed as neoplasms) attached to the ascending aorta, with varying degrees of infiltration of heartbase structures. Although extrapericardial portions of the masses were not outlined as well as intrapericardial portions, surgical accessibility was correctly predicted in most dogs. It was concluded that two‐dimensional echocardiography (2DE), performed systematically using multiple imaging planes, allowed accurate detection and localization of cardiac and pericardial masses in dogs and was useful in predicting surgical accessibility of these lesions.