Case Study

CT – Non-destructive rhinitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis and bilateral otitis media in a 10 year old Russian Blue cat

This 10 year old FS Russian Blue cat has a history of recurrent nasal and ear issues.

Image Interpretation

CT of the head –

The computed tomography of the head reveals moderate generalized left-sided unilateral thickening of the mucosal lining of the nasal turbinates with an increased amount of nasal secretions largely occupying the left nasal cavity. There is no turbinate or bone destruction. The cribriform plate is intact. Gravity dependent accumulation of nasal secretions is noted within the left nasal fundus and nasopharynx. Mild nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal soft tissue swelling is noted. There is no evidence of nasopharyngeal stenosis or aberrant nasal conchal growth. A foreign body is not seen. There is no evidence of a mass lesion with the limitation that no post contrast series is available. The left frontal sinus is filled with uniformly soft tissue attenuating material. The hypotympanon of both tympanic bullae is filled with uniformly soft tissue attenuating material entirely. The meso- and epitympanon is aerated. The bony bullae walls are even and thin. The medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes reveal mild symmetric enlargement, the short to long axis ratio of the lymph nodes is maintained. The submandibular and parotid lymph nodes are within normal limits.

DX

The computed tomographic findings are compatible with moderate left-sided unspecific non- destructive rhinitis, pharyngitis and sinusitis. Moreover there is evidence of bilateral Otitis media

Outcome

Mild reactive adenitis of the medial retropharyngeal lymph nodes is noted. Note that emerging inflammatory polyp formation cannot be ruled out on a plain study.
Likely underlying causes include bacterial rhinitis and viral rhinitis with bacterial
superinfection. There are no typical findings of fungal rhinitis or a nasal tumor. A foreign body is not
seen.