CT cholangiography in dogs with gallbladder mucocoele

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Radiology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Canine Hepatobiliary Disease

Background:

• Gallbladder mucocoele is a common condition in dogs.
• Accurate preoperative assessment of the biliary system is crucial for surgical planning.
• CT cholangiography offers a non-invasive method to evaluate biliary structures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize computed tomography (CT) cholangiography findings in dogs diagnosed with gallbladder mucocoele.
• To assess the utility of CT cholangiography in delineating the biliary system and estimating patency.

Main Methods:

• Ten dogs with gallbladder mucocoele underwent CT cholangiography prior to cholecystectomy.
• Meglumine iotroxate was used as a contrast agent.
• Evaluation included the hepatic ducts, common hepatic duct, cystic duct, common bile duct, and gallbladder.

Main Results:

• Contrast-enhanced CT cholangiography successfully imaged the hepatic duct, cystic duct, common bile duct, and gallbladder.
• Contrast passage into the duodenum was observed in nine dogs.
• Two dogs showed filling defects in the bile duct system; one dog had incomplete contrast enhancement due to concurrent hepatitis.
• Surgical exploration confirmed no common bile duct obstruction in any dog.

Conclusions:

• CT cholangiography provides detailed structural information of the canine biliary system.
• The procedure can partially assess the patency of the bile ducts in dogs with gallbladder mucocoele.
• CT cholangiography is a potentially valuable preoperative screening tool for the biliary system in these cases.