Today’s case is a 2-month-old female domestic short haired cat that presents for difficulty breathing. Take a look and post your comments below.
Teaching and learning about veterinary diagnostic imaging.
Today’s case is a 2-month-old female domestic short haired cat that presents for difficulty breathing. Take a look and post your comments below.
Three views are available for review. The esophagus is markedly distended from the cranial sphincter to the base of the heart. The esophagus is food distended in the cranial thoracic region, and gas and food distended in the cervical region. The trachea is displaced on the right side on the VD view and ventrally on the lateral views. The caudal thoracic esophagus appears fluid filled. There is increased interstitial pattern in the left caudal lung lobe, and there is a moderate alveolar patter in the right cranial lung lobe. The heart is displaced caudally. The cardiovascular structures are mildly decreased in size. On the viewable abdomen, there is decreased serosal detail most likely due to the young age of the patient.
gserrano says
Dear Allison thanks for another great case.
I did the same interpretation as you did, but I dont manage to see the caudal esophagus filled with fluid. Could you please highlight it? I would appreciate that a lot!
Alexandra Beaulieu says
Is it the soft tissue opacity above the vena cava that seems to enter the left pillar of the diaphragm?
Allison Zwingenberger says
Yes, it’s on the second lateral projection just dorsal to the caudal vena cava.