Case Study

CT – multifocal soft tissue nodules of multiple organs and heart base mass in a 11 year old MN Pit Bull

This 11 year old MN Pit Bull has a history of grade 2 mast cell removal from abdomen 4 months ago. Presented for left front lameness and oral bleeding. Rads show nodules throughout lungs.

Physical exam: panting; multiple small SQ growths ventral chest.

CBC/Chem: monocytes incr; ALKP 206, ALT 123, AST 59, Chol 446, Phos 6.3, TP 8.1, Glob 4.9, CK 352

This 11 year old MN Pit Bull has a history of grade 2 mast cell removal from abdomen 4 months ago. Presented for left front lameness and oral bleeding. Rads show nodules throughout lungs.

Physical exam: panting; multiple small SQ growths ventral chest.

CBC/Chem: monocytes incr; ALKP 206, ALT 123, AST 59, Chol 446, Phos 6.3, TP 8.1, Glob 4.9, CK 352

Image Interpretation

CT of the thorax and abdomen –

Thorax: Multiple well delineated soft tissue attenuating interstitial nodules of up to 1.5 cm diameter are noted throughout the lung. Mild peripheral hydrostatic atelectasis of the lung is seen. The sternal and cranial mediastinal lymph nodes present mild symmetric enlargement with maintained short-to-long-aixs of less than 0.5 and regular enhancement pattern consistent with reactive hyperplasia. A non-uniformly enhancing mass in the region of the right auricular appendage is suspected.

Abdomen:

The computed tomography of the abdomen reveals multifocal randomly distributed enhancing and non enhancing nodules of up to 1.5 cm diameter throughout the parenchyma of the spleen, liver and both kidneys.

DX

• Multifocal soft tissue nodules involving most parenchymatous organs Possible heart base mass in the region of the right auricle

Outcome

The computed tomographic findings are compatible with a multifocal nodular secondary neoplastic infiltrate involving the lung, kidneys, liver and spleen.
A primary tumor in the region of the right auricular appendage, such as hemangiosarcoma or other heart base neopalsia (paraganglioma, ectopic thyroid carcinoma), is suspected.
The theoretical potential of a fungal, mycobacterial, eosinophilic or idiopathic ganulomatous disease is considered very low here.