Case Study

Interstitial cystitis suspected in a 13 year old MN DSH cat

A 13-year-old MN DSH cat was presented for hematuria. On urinalysis, specific gravity was 1.054 with 30-50 RBCs.

Sonographic Differential Diagnosis

Likely interstitial cystitis. Minor potential for bladder lymphoma.
The ulcerative lesion in the apex of the bladder may be persistent urachal diverticulum or urachal remnant with secondary inflammatory tissue.

Image Interpretation

Urinary bladder presented ventral apical wall thickening measured 0.48 cm with minor amount of sand accumulation and slight calculi formation. An ulcerative type lesion in the apex of the bladder wall was noted. No obstructive disease noted at this time.

DX

Suspect interstitial cystitis

Outcome

None available

Comments

The wall thickening appears to be resectable with aggressive resection of the cranial half of the ventral wall to the caudal dorsal aspect of the apex. Infectious disease screening is recommended plus partial cystectomy, stone analysis and culture. Tissue biopsies identifying the predominant inflammatory cell type as well as culture of the wall recommended.

Clinical Differential Diagnosis

Bladder pathology– uroliths, neoplasia, interstitial cystitis, bacterial cystitis, polyploid cystitis, granulomatous cystitis
Renal pathology– renolith, neoplasia