A Sphaghetti Sign in the Abdominal Radiograph Consistent with Spleno-Systemic Shunts in a Cat

Abstract

A 8-year-old spayed female Korean short-haired cat was presented with respiratory distress. CBC, serum chemistry analysis, plain radiography, and abdominal ultrasonography were performed. Besides hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) suspected by the thoracic radiograph, a tubular, tortuous soft tissue structure was detected at the region of the left retroperitoneal cavity on the abdominal radiograph. On the abdominal ultrasonography, a shunt vessel is identified caudo-lateral to the left kidney region. These findings are consistent with spleno-systemic shunts in cats. Furthermore, portal hypertension and diffuse hepatic lesion were also identified. Although the cause of a shunt vessel is not easy to diagnose, it is important to include spleno-systemic shunt into differential diagnosis list, when convoluted, tubular soft tissue opacity is seen on the digital radiography (DR). This report will allow clinicians to raise awareness of complications of portosystemic shunt (PSS) and better treat PSS suspected feline patients when the advanced modalities such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are not available.