This report presents the clinical, laboratory, imaging, and pathologic findings in 61 dogs with pheochromocytoma by retrospective evaluation of medical records. Pheochromocytomas were diagnosed by histopathologic examination of tissue specimens in all dogs. Special stains (chromogranin A and synaptophysin) also were used t o confirm the chromaffin cell origin of the tumors. Epidemiologic findings were in agreement with previous studies, indicating that pheochromocytomas affect middle-aged t o older dogs with no apparent gender or breed predilection. The tumor was considered clinical in 21 dogs (34%), was responsible for abnormalities related t o a space-occupying mass in 7 dogs (ll%), and was an incidental finding in 35 dogs (57%). The hematologic and biochemical findings were nonspecific. Hypertension was detected in 10 of 23 (43%) dogs tested, but all hypertensive dogs had concurrent diseases that may have heochromocytoma is a tumor of the chromaffin cells of P the adrenal medulla or sympathetic paraganglia'.2 that has been described in human beings, horses, cattle, dogs, cats, and laboratory rats.' Clinical diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is relatively rare.'.' A variety of vague and nonspecific clinical signs attributed to excessive secretion of catecholamines has been reported in dogs with pheochromo~y t o m a .~-* The mass effect or local invasion of structures by these tumors also can produce clinical signs. Approximately 50% of pheochromocytomas are discovered incidentally in dogs with no clinical signs or other problem caused by the tum0r.j Antemortem diagnosis of pheochromocytoma is difficult because of lack of specific clinical signs.' There are few comprehensive studies pertaining to pheochromocytomas in the veterinary literature and a paucity of information documenting the imaging diagnosis of this tumor.'.' The purpose of this study was to characterize the clinical, laboratory, imaging, and pathologic findings of pheochromocytoma in 61 dogs. findings, clinicopathologic data, imaging results, pathologic findings, and outcome for each dog. Signalment (breed and gender) of the 61 dogs was compared to that of the hospital population during the same period using chi square analysis. Hypotheses tested were accepted when P < .OS. Materials and MethodsMedical records were analyzed to determine if the tumor was clinical (group I), was responsible for abnormalities related to a space-occupying mass (group 2), or was an incidental finding (group 3). Criteria for including dogs in group 1 were selected from previous retrospective studies on pheochromocytoma'.' and included the presence of at least one of the following: weakness, lethargy; polyuria and polydipsia (PUPD); collapse, panting, dyspnea or tachypnea; vomiting, anorexia or inappetence; weight loss; seizures; tachyarrhythmias; pale mucous membranes; injected mucous membranes; fever; and cardiac arrest. Criteria for including dogs in group 2 were the presence of at least one of the following: ascites, limb edema, abdominal pain, abdominal distention, and ...

Sagittal and transverse ultrasonographic images of the prostate gland were obtained in 100 healthy adult intact male dogs. Prostatic length, width, and height on transverse and sagittal images as well as the presence of prostatic cysts were determined. Linear regression and correlation analysis were performed between prostatic parameters (length, width, height on sagittal and transverse images, and estimated volume) and parameters related to body size (body weight, body height, left kidney length and aortic diameter) and age of the dogs. Significant positive correlations were found between all prostatic parameters and parameters related to body size and age. Maximum predicted values for prostatic parameters for a given body weight and age were determined based on the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval of the mean predicted values. Such values should represent a useful tool for ultrasonographic evaluation of the prostate in the dog. Prostatic cysts were found in 14% of the dogs.

Ultrasonography and CT are valuable imaging modalities to assist in differentiating neoplastic from nonneoplastic unilateral orbital disease in dogs.

The prevalence of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) has been estimated in the USA, Australia, UK, and Germany, but no data are available to date in France. The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence of PKD in Persian and Persian related breeds of cats in France. Medical records of all healthy cats presented for ultrasonographic screening of PKD between December 2000 and April 2002 were analysed from two centres (ENVL and ENVA). Cats were classified as positive when at least one anechoic cavity was found in at least one kidney. Prevalence of PKD was compared between the two screening centres, between different breeds evaluated, and between male and female using Chi-square test. A total of 310 cats were examined, including 92 at ENVL (57 Persians, 22 Exotic Shorthairs, 7 Chartreux, 4 Norwegian Forest Cats, and 2 Abyssins) and 218 at ENVA (163 Persians, 42 Exotic Shorthairs, 4 Chartreux, 4 British Shorthairs, 2 American Whirehairs, 2 Norwegian Forest Cats, and 1 American Shorthair). Prevalence of PKD was 41.8% in Persian cats and 39.1% in Exotic Shorthair. No PKD was detected in cats from other breeds. There was no significant difference between prevalence of PKD found in ENVL and ENVA, between prevalence of PKD in Persians and in Exotic Shorthairs, and prevalence of PKD in male and in female. Prevalence of PKD in Persians and Exotic Shorthair cats in France is currently high but is similar to prevalence in other parts of the world. Selection based on ultrasonographic detection of cysts should decrease prevalence of PKD in the future.

No abstract

Four dogs with ureteral fibroepithelial polyps, ranging from 9-12 years of age, are presented in this report. The patients presented with urinary incontinence, urinary tract infection, and/or polydypsia and pollakiuria. All dogs were intact at the time of diagnosis or for the majority of their lives and three were male. Various diagnostic procedures were performed including ultrasonography, contrast radiography, and nuclear scintigraphy. Not all procedures were performed in all patients. Findings included ureteral dilation proximal to the level of an intraluminal mass and ipsilateral hydronephrosis. Unilateral ureteronephrectomy was performed in three dogs with masses in the proximal ureter; ureteral resection and anastamosis was performed in the remaining patient with a mass located in the distal ureter. The same pathologist (RAP) reviewed all four lesions. The lesions appeared polypoid and were attached to the ureteral wall by a thin stalk. Histopathologically, they contained a superficial layer of well-differentiated transitional epithelial cells overlying a prominent fibrovascular stroma with a mild (three dogs) or marked (one dog) degree of lymphoplasmacytic inflammation. This disease may represent a benign neoplasm or a chronic inflammatory reaction and has a good prognosis with surgical removal. Its histopathological characteristics, higher incidence in males, and location more commonly within the upper third of the ureter is remarkably similar to the disease in humans.

The scintigraphically measured percentage dose uptake of 99mTc-DTPA by the kidneys and the plasma clearance of 99mTc-DTPA have been reported to correlate well with inulin clearance. These two parameters were evaluated in seven dogs with known or suspected naturally occurring renal disease and compared to simultaneously measured renal inulin clearance. Correlation between inulin clearance and the 99mTc-DTPA plasma clearance was better (p = .0016) than the correlation between the percentage DTPA uptake by the kidney. It was concluded that measurement of 99mTc-DTPA plasma clearance is a more accurate method to estimate global glomerular filtration rate (GFR) than the percentage kidney uptake.

Ultrasonography of the gallbladder was performed in 3 groups of dogs: 30 clinically healthy dogs, 50 dogs with hepatobiliary disease, and 50 dogs with diseases other than hepatobiliary disease. The gallbladder was evaluated for the presence of sludge (echogenic material without acoustic shadowing). Maximal gallbladder length, width, height, and area were measured as well as the gallbladder wall thickness. The relative sludge area was calculated as the ratio of sludge area over gallbladder area on longitudinal images. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of gallbladder sludge among healthy dogs (53%), dogs with hepatobiliary diseases (62%), and dogs with other diseases (48%). The mean age of dogs with sludge was higher than the mean age of dogs without sludge in dogs with hepatobiliary disease and dogs with other diseases (p < 0.05). The mean relative sludge area did not differ significantly among the 3 groups. A trend to larger gallbladder dimensions in dogs with sludge compared to dogs without sludge was detected within the 3 groups. The gallbladder wall thickness was not different between dogs with and without sludge within the 3 groups. However, the gallbladder wall was more frequently isoechoic than hyperechoic to the liver in dogs with sludge than in dogs without sludge. The results of this study indicate that gallbladder sludge, in dogs, is not particularly associated with hepatobiliary disease and should be considered an incidental finding.