SAEVA Congress 2018 Proceedings | 12-15 February 2018 | ATKV Goudini Spa
“Lung rockets” in EIPH
However, these subtle abnormalities of the visceral pleural surface are nonspecific
and may be detected in horses with IAD, RAO, EMPF, early pneumonia, pulmonary
edema, or in horses with scarring from previous pneumonia or pleuritis. Larger
hypoechoic areas of fluid-filled pulmonary parenchyma can also be imaged in horses
with more severe EIPH. Local pleural thickening or adhesions are rare sonographic
findings in horses with EIPH.
Equine influenza
Comet-tail artifacts radiating from small nonaerated areas, created by small
accumulations of inflammatory cells, are imaged in horses with equine influenza.
Mild lung consolidation (<1 to 6 cm) and peripheral pulmonary irregularities (comet
tail artifacts) were imaged in 69% of horses with clinical signs of acute infectious
upper respiratory disease (AIURD) caused by equine influenza virus and the
changes seen were more severe than in the horses in the same stable without
clinical signs. All horses experimentally infected with aerosolized influenza
A/equine/Kentucky/91 (H3V8) developed pneumonia that was detected
ultrasonographically as consolidation and edema by one week post exposure and
that was resolving by the end of week 2.
Gastrointestinal Ultrasonography
Right dorsal colitis
Right dorsal colitis associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug toxicity can be
diagnosed ultrasonographically by detecting a thickened right dorsal colon ventral to
the liver in the right 10 th – 14 th intercostal spaces. The right dorsal colon can
consistently be imaged in the right 11 th and 12 th intercostal spaces in all horses with
right dorsal colitis and in the 13 th intercostal space in most affected horses. The wall of
the affected right dorsal colon is usually 2-3 times normal thickness and is significantly
greater than the thickness of the right ventral colon measured in the 12 th intercostal
space. An abnormal pattern of echogenicity of the right dorsal colon is also detected
sonographically in horses with right dorsal colitis. In affected horses, a hypoechoic layer
was detected in the thickened right dorsal colon, surrounded on each side by a
hyperechoic mucosal and serosal surface.
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