The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of triple-phase helical computed tomography (CT) for differentiating canine hepatic masses. Seventy dogs with hepatic masses underwent triple-phase CT followed by surgical removal of the hepatic masses. Triple-phase helical CT scans for each dog included precontrast, arterial phase, portal venous phase, and delayed phase studies. The removed hepatic masses were histopathologically classified as hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 47), nodular hyperplasia (n = 14), and hepatic metastatic tumors (n = 9) in dogs. Of the 47 hepatocellular carcinomas, the most common CT findings included a heterogeneous pattern with hyper-, iso-, and hypoenhancement in both the arterial and portal venous phases (40/47, 85.1%). Of the 14 nodular hyperplasias, the most common CT findings were a homogeneous pattern with hyper- and isoenhancement in both the portal venous and delayed phases (13/14, 92.9%). Of nine hepatic metastatic tumors, the most common CT findings included a homogeneous hypoenhancement pattern in both the arterial and portal venous phases (8/9, 88.9%). In addition, 5 (55.6%) showed homogeneous hypoenhancement patterns in the delayed phase. Findings from our study indicated that triple-phase CT is a useful tool for preoperative differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma, nodular hyperplasia, and hepatic metastatic tumors in dogs.

The differential diagnosis of canine adrenal tumors was feasible based on triple-phase CT findings, including morphological features, CT values, and intratumoral contrast attenuation. Preoperative diagnosis using triple-phase helical CT may be useful for surgical planning in dogs with adrenal tumors.

CT angiography was well suited to provide anatomic details of porto-azygos shunts and comprehensively documented that all porto-azygos shunts had a thoracic terminus, after crossing the diaphragm through the esophageal hiatus. Different shunt types existed with minor variations.

We investigated the utility of triple-phase helical computed tomography (CT) in differentiating between benign and malignant splenic masses in dogs. Forty-two dogs with primary splenic masses underwent triple-phase helical CT scanning (before administration of contrast, and in the arterial phase, portal venous phase, and delayed phase) prior to splenectomy. Tissue specimens were sent for pathological diagnosis; these included hematomas (n=14), nodular hyperplasias (n=12), hemangiosarcomas (n=11), and undifferentiated sarcomas (n=5). The CT findings were compared with the histological findings. Nodular hyperplasia significantly displayed a homogeneous normal enhancement pattern in all phases. Hemangiosarcoma displayed 2 significant contrast-enhancement patterns, including a homogeneous pattern of poor enhancement in all phases, and a heterogeneous remarkable enhancement pattern in the arterial and portal venous phases. Hematoma and undifferentiated sarcoma displayed a heterogeneous normal enhancement pattern in all phases. The contrast-enhanced volumetric ratios of hematoma tended to be greater than those of undifferentiated sarcoma. Our study demonstrated that the characteristic findings on triple-phase helical CT could be useful for the preoperative differentiation of hematoma, nodular hyperplasia, hemangiosarcoma, and undifferentiated sarcoma in dogs. Triple-phase helical CT may be a useful diagnostic tool in dogs with splenic masses.

Near-infrared fluorescence imaging may be feasible for intraoperative mapping of hepatocellular carcinomas in hepatic lobes and may help increase the chance of complete resection of hepatocellular carcinoma in dogs.