Ultrassonografia torácica (extracardíaca) em cães e gatos

Abstract

Until recently, the sonographic evaluation of the thorax as an imaging method was not widely used in veterinary medicine. Ultrasound had been widely underestimated and undervalued due mainly to the physiological barriers of the chest, such as the healthy lung and the rib cage. However, various conditions permit the sonographic assessment of the thoracic cavity, in particular disorders which lead to the reduction or absence of air within the lungs. As such, pleural effusion is considered an ideal acoustic window, while the pneumothorax, however, impairs the visualization of intrathoracic structures. Ultrasonography has a distinct advantage over radiography due to its ability to differentiate soft tissue for fluids, as well as, distinguish lesions of parietal and pleural origin from pulmonary lesions. It also increases the accuracy and safety of interventional procedures such as biopsy, fine needle aspirative cytology and thoracentesis, while simultaneously able to detect possible complications. For this and other reasons the ultrasound as a diagnostic tool complementary to radiology began to be further explored in veterinary medicine. The aim of this paper is to provide key information on the thoracic sonography in small animals.