Abstract
The morphological characteristics of the largest lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes of the body have been described through ultrasonography, although food and gas in the gastrointestinal tract can often have negative effects on the response of small abdominal structures. The aim of the study was to describe the size of normal abdominal lymph nodes (ALs) in dogs affected by disease, not including lymphadenomegaly or lymphadenopathy, and divided according to body weight and age. The ALs studied included the jejunal, medial iliac, portal, gastric, splenic, and pancreaticoduodenal lymph nodes. Statistical correlation considering body weight and age as continuous variables showed that all measurements of the ALs increased according to body weight changes (p < 0.01). The most reliable values were the volume measurements (p < 0.001) compared to the length, thickness, and width. Mixed results emerged from a comparison of weight categories and age; only the jejunal lymph nodes showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05). Other characteristics (shape, attenuation, and enhancement) are subsequently reported. The resulting data can be used to categorize CT measurements of normal ALs displayed based on the body weight and age of the subjects. This study aimed to propose a new parameter of normalcy that may serve as a reference for the evaluation of infectious or neoplastic events.
Highlights
The largest lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes of the body are described regionally according to the following categories: head and neck, thoracic limb, thorax, abdominal and pelvic walls, genital organs, abdominal viscera, and pelvic limb
Dogs were selected for analysis according to the following inclusion criteria: achievement of the eighteenth month of life; absence of alterations compatible with an inflammatory or neoplastic process involving the abdomen, pelvis, lower limbs, abdominal, or perineum wall; absence of malignant or multicentric processes on the remaining parts of the body with the possibility that metastases could be found in the abdominal organs, pelvis, lower limbs, abdominal or perineum wall; absence of pleural and/or abdominal effusion; absence of movements and/or breathing artefacts; a BCS between 2/5 and 4/5; regarding traumatized subjects, only if less than 12 h had elapsed since the traumatic event; absence of alterations to blood and urine tests; and absence of anti-inflammatory therapies in the previous 10 days
122 dogs were identified based on the computed tomography (CT) examination, but only 45 of these dogs were chosen based on the completeness of the medical records, which fully satisfied the inclusion/exclusion criteria during the enrolment period and corresponded to a negative result for abdominal lymphadenopathies
Summary
The largest lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes of the body are described regionally according to the following categories: head and neck, thoracic limb, thorax, abdominal and pelvic walls, genital organs, abdominal viscera, and pelvic limb. The visceral group is subdivided into subgroups that apply to specific organs: celiac, cranial, and caudal mesenteric [1]. For many of these lymph nodes, morphological characteristics have been described through ultrasonography, food and gas in the gastrointestinal tract can often have negative effects on the response of small abdominal structures [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. Other secondary objectives were to increase knowledge regarding the characteristics (shape, attenuation, and enhancement) of these structures in CT in order to provide a reference for evaluation of infectious or neoplastic events
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
