Comparison of CT features of 79 cats with intranasal mass lesions

Abstract

Objectives This retrospective multicentre study compared the CT characteristics of cats diagnosed with intranasal mass lesions to determine if defining imaging features exist between different tumour types and between neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. Methods The medical records of two institutions were reviewed for cats with CT findings consistent with an intranasal mass lesion with subsequent histopathological examination. For each CT scan the mass location, growth pattern, margin distinction, contrast enhancement pattern and presence of intralesional areas of mineralisation or necrosis were recorded. The presence of facial deformity, the location and type of bone changes, extranasal extension of the mass lesion and the regional lymph nodes size, contrast pattern and hilus visibility were also documented. Results Thirty-five cats with nasal lymphoma, 28 cats with non-lymphomatous nasal neoplasia (carcinoma or sarcoma) and 16 cats with inflammatory lesions met the inclusion criteria. Cats with non-lymphomatous nasal neoplasia were more likely to show unilateral nasal changes (odds ratio [OR] 3.9), areas of intralesional calcification (OR infinity) and extension of the mass lesion within the frontal sinus (OR 4.5), while cats suffering from nasal lymphoma were more likely to show a mixed (OR 4.5) and expansile growth pattern (OR 7.8), and a regional lymphadenomegaly (OR 2.4). The CT findings in cats diagnosed with inflammatory mass-like lesions were highly variable and overlapped with findings for nasal neoplasms but were significantly associated with the absence of bony changes to the nasal cavity boundaries (OR 10.2). Conclusions and relevance Findings from the current study support the ability of CT to aid in the discrimination of tumour type in cats presented with an intranasal mass lesion.

Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging features of lymphoma involving the nervous system in cats

“…Extra‐neural tissue infiltration was observed in >40% of cats with intracranial lesions, with a permeative to moth‐eaten bone lysis growth pattern, leaving residual bone in situ with a preserved bone shape. This type of growth pattern recently has been described in cats with nasal lymphoma and carcinoma 39 . Although intracranial infiltration via the cribriform plate has been described in 7% to 34% of cats with nasal lymphoma, 39‐41 to our knowledge ours is the first description of the peculiar infiltration of the rostral leptomeninges and olfactory lobes, associated with intralesional hemorrhages.…”

“…39 Although intracranial infiltration via the cribriform plate has been described in 7% to 34% of cats with nasal lymphoma, [39][40][41] to our knowledge ours is the first description of the peculiar infiltration of the rostral leptomeninges and olfactory lobes, associated with intralesional hemorrhages. The combination of this type of bone, leptomeningeal, and olfactory lobes infiltrative pattern on MRI may help to differentiate lymphoma from other neoplasms centered on the cribriform plate, such as nasal carcinomas, 39,40,42 esthesioneuroblastoma, 43 histiocytic sarcoma, 44 meningioma, 45 or from granulomatous rhinitis. 39,46 In contrast to brain lesions, bone lysis was not observed in our group of cats with spinal lesions, even in the presence of paravertebral lesions.…”

“…The combination of this type of bone, leptomeningeal, and olfactory lobes infiltrative pattern on MRI may help to differentiate lymphoma from other neoplasms centered on the cribriform plate, such as nasal carcinomas, 39 , 40 , 42 esthesioneuroblastoma, 43 histiocytic sarcoma, 44 meningioma, 45 or from granulomatous rhinitis. 39 , 46 In contrast to brain lesions, bone lysis was not observed in our group of cats with spinal lesions, even in the presence of paravertebral lesions. This finding is consistent with previous publications on cats, 27 dogs, 27 , 28 and humans, 47 in which cortical sparing or cortical lysis with preserved vertebral shape were common features of round cell neoplasms, as opposed to other tumor types.…”

CT findings of nasal cryptococcosis in cats and dogs: A case series

“…At the time of this study, few published reports mention CT features in cases of nasal cryptococcosis and are limited to small number of dogs and cats (≤3). [4][5][6][7][8] In all studies, documenting CT features of nasal cryptococcosis was not the primary objective, thus descriptions of features are brief. In these select studies, CT features reported in cats include: soft tissue and fluid opacification in rostral nasopharynx and nasal cavities without a mass, intranasal mass, distinct nasopharyngeal (NP) mass, fluid opacification in nasal cavity and frontal sinus, and mass at nasal planum with focal lysis of nasal bone.…”

“…In these select studies, CT features reported in cats include: soft tissue and fluid opacification in rostral nasopharynx and nasal cavities without a mass, intranasal mass, distinct nasopharyngeal (NP) mass, fluid opacification in nasal cavity and frontal sinus, and mass at nasal planum with focal lysis of nasal bone. [4][5][6][7] Reported CT features in dogs include lesions in nasal cavity, nasopharynx, and frontal sinus, osteomyelitis of frontal bones, lacrimal bones, and cribriform plate, and intracranial extension. 4,8 Characterization of CT features in dogs and cats with nasal cryptococcosis is important to better understand the utility of CT in the diagnosis of the disease and in the evaluation of chronic rhinitis in dogs and cats.…”