Abdominal Radiography

Radiographic

Two orthogonal projections of the abdomen are taken — a right or left lateral and a ventrodorsal (VD) view — covering everything from the cranial-most part of the diaphragm to the pelvic inlet. Exposure settings are chosen from the patient’s thickness. The hind legs are drawn gently caudally so they do not overlap the caudal abdomen and so the abdominal contents spread out, and the radiographs are made at full expiration.

• To confirm or narrow down the cause of clinical signs referable to the abdominal organs — most often vomiting and diarrhea.
• To determine origin of palpable abdominal mass.
• To determine the extent of abdominal disease, including metastasis evaluation.

None

None

• Ideally the patient is fasted for 12–24 h and given an enema before the radiographs are made.
• Sedation may be required.

• Cardiovascular
• Endocrine and metabolic
• Gastrointestinal
• Hemic, lymphatic, and immune
• Hepatobiliary
• Renal and urologic
• Reproductive

As needed. Some sedatives affect GI motility (see Hall & Watrous 2000).

• Lateral projections: left or right lateral recumbency, with the hind legs gently extended caudally to limit superimposition on the caudal abdomen.
• VD projection: dorsal recumbency, with the hind legs gently extended caudally to limit superimposition on the caudal abdomen.

N/A

• X-ray machine
• X-ray cassette loaded with film or digital x-ray detector
• Grid—for animals that are >10 cm thick
• Patient restraint devices—tape and sand bags—help minimize radiation exposure to personnel.

• Two orthogonal projections of the abdomen are made — a right or left lateral and a VD view — spanning the cranial-most part of the diaphragm to the pelvic inlet. Exposure settings follow the patient’s thickness. The hind legs are drawn gently caudally so they do not overlap the caudal abdomen and so the abdominal contents spread out, and the radiographs are produced at full expiration.

N/A

• Read abdominal radiographs with a systematic technique. Some organs are seen routinely; others are not, and should still be considered every time a study is interpreted.
• Abdominal organs normally seen: liver, stomach, spleen, kidneys, urinary bladder, prostate, and intestines.
• Abdominal organs not normally seen: ureters, urethra, ovaries, pancreas, and lymph nodes.

• Pneumoperitoneum in an animal that has not had recent surgery
• GDV
• GI obstruction

Abdominal ultrasound and abdominal radiography do not replace each other. Radiographs keep the spatial relationships between the abdominal organs, and they are better for sizing the intestines when obstruction is suspected because different bowel segments can be compared with one another; ultrasound cannot show the whole abdomen in one image. The strengths of ultrasound are describing the internal architecture of organs and showing structures that radiographs normally miss (e.g., the adrenal glands). Abdominal CT is an emerging modality in veterinary medicine that shows the spatial relationships of the abdominal organs and gives information on their internal architecture.

The tests used depend on the abnormality; plans are given in the text above.

None

• General Principles of Radiography
• Abdominal Ultrasonography
• Abdominocentesis and Fluid Analysis
• Adrenal Ultrasonography
• Barium-Impregnated Polyethylene Spheres (BIPS)
• Computed Tomography
• Cystourethrography (male, female, canine, feline)
• Excretory Urography
• Gastrointestinal Ultrasonography
• Horizontal Beam Radiography
• Liver and Gallbladder Ultrasonography (including portohepatic shunts)
• Lower Gastrointestinal Radiographic Contrast Studies (includes air and barium)
• Lower Urinary Tract Ultrasonography (bladder, prostate, urethra)
• Pancreatic Ultrasonography
• Renal Ultrasonography (including comments on ureters)
• Splenic Ultrasonography
• Ultrasound-Guided Mass or Organ Aspiration
• Upper Gastrointestinal Radiographic Contrast Studies (including pneumogastrogram)
• Uterine Ultrasonography
• Vaginography

• CT = computed tomography
• FNA = fine-needle aspiration
• GDV = gastric dilatation and volvulus syndrome
• VD = ventrodorsal

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