ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF SENTINEL LYMPH NODE OF MAMMARY GLANDS AT DOG FEMALE
Authors: Ileana Cotārlă, Raul Ielcean
Scientific coordinator: Stan Florin, DVM, PhD, Lecturer
University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Manastur Street, 400372, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, e-mail: ileanabochis@gmail.com
SUMMARY
Mammary gland is frequently affected by neoplasia. Most tumors metastasize via lymphatics. The sentinel lymph node is the first node (or nodes) to drain a tumor into a lymphatic drainage basin. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the comparative ultrasound of metastatic and normal lymph nodes, associated with normal lymphatic drainage of mammary glands in dog females. Lymphatic drainage from the mammary glands of a dog female, is done mainly by the axillary lymphocentrum in cranial direction and in caudal direction by the superficial inguinal lymph nodes. 7 dog females of common breed were ultrasound explored, of which 4 had mammary gland tumors and 3 subjects were without associated pathology. Two-dimensional ultrasound and Doppler techniques were the methods of evaluation of the 18 lymph nodes belonging to subjects included in the study. Ultrasound data related to topography, size, shape, the appearance of the capsule, ecostructure and echogenic were obtained from two-dimensional ultrasound. Doppler techniques have revealed the presence and characteristics of lymph node blood circulation. Lymph node sizes were determined by measuring the perpendicular axes, in the absence of a disease, the ratio of the transverse and longitudinal being less than 0.5 in case of 6 normal lymph nodes. 12 lymph nodes with a ratio above 0.5 were assigned to subjects with mammary gland pathology. Regarding the shape of lymph nodes, 7 axillary lymph nodes and 5 superficial inguinal metastatic lymph nodes associated with changes of structure were noted rounded. The lymph node capsule appeared continuous, smooth-looking, hyperecogenic, compared with parenchyma, delimiting well 8 normal lymph nodes. In metastatic lymph nodes case, it had a discontinuous appearance, with thin irregular demarcation from adjacent tissues. Also, circulation evaluated by power Doppler and color Doppler techniques was affected in metastatic lymph nodes, in terms of anomalous arrangement with subcapsular predisposition, mostly of arterial type. Metastatic lymph node hilum was difficult to be visualized. In conclusion, ultrasound is an imaging, not irradiated, repetitive method which can be successfully used in the exploration of the lymphatic system in carnivores. The type of lymphatic drainage of mammary glands is often unpredictable, primary tumors being able to drain into a sentinel lymph node located outside the standard lymph node groups, the ultrasound managing to identify sentinel lymph nodes with great accuracy. Using ultrasound can avoid an invasive surgical technique, which has many unnecessary side effects to be avoided.
Comment:
Premiul este binemeritat. Surprinsi am fost cu totii. Am intrat in sala de prezentari cu un gust amar si cu temerea ca poate nu ma va impresiona nici o lucrare. Dupa prezentarea acestei lucrari am prins un pic curaj. pentru anul viitor, premiul pentru o astfel de sustinere va fi de 1000RON din partea The Romanian Group for Innovation in Veterinarian Medicine