Case Study

CT – Facial abscess with cellulitis and reactive lymphadenitis in a 13 year old FS Havanese

This 13 year old FS Havanese has a history of recurrent abscessationon the left side of the face. R/O salivary gland vs dental issue vs other.

DX

• Abscess on the left side of the face after drainage with regional cellulitis and reactive lymphadenitis • No evidence of foreign material or other relevant underlying pathology • Incomplete dentition with generalized periodontal disease and tooth root abscessation of the 109

Image Interpretation

CT of the head and neck – The abscess cavity is seen ventral to the left ear canal and caudal to the left mandibular salivary gland. The wall is thick and presents marked contrast enhancement. Moderate peripheral fat stranding is noted. A foreign body is not visible. The mandibular salivary gland is mildly distorted and enlarged but presents within normal limits. Mild generalized atrophy of the jaw bone is noted for all quadrants. Multiple teeth are absent. Mild generalized periodontal disease is noted.

Outcome

Biopsy with consecutive pathohistological examination of the wall of the non-healing abscess is recommended

Comments

Please note: even though there is no direct indication of this the possibility of a sialocele cannot be ruled out entirely based on normal findings especially when the abscess cavity is empty after drainage. En-bloc debulking of the abscess cavity, mandibular and sublingual salivary glands may be considered in case of lacking response to therapy but may require a surgical flap technique.

Patient Information

Patient Name : Daphne Grano/CVC

Gender : Female, Spayed

Species : Canine

Type of Imaging : Ultrasound

Status : Complete

Liz Wuz Here : Yes

Code : 16_00092