EXPRESS: Echocardiographic prevalence and attachment-site patterns of left ventricular bands in cats

ObjectivesTo determine the echocardiographic prevalence and attachment-site patterns of left ventricular bands (LVBs) in cats and assess whether LVB counts differed by sex, sedation status, or echocardiographic group.MethodsIn this prospective observational study, 200 cats undergoing complete transthoracic echocardiographic examination were evaluated for the presence, number, and attachment-site patterns of LVBs. LVBs were defined as discrete intracavitary linear structures connecting two myocardial structures within the left ventricle without insertion into the mitral valve leaflets. Each visible connection was classified according to predefined attachment-site categories. For the phenotype comparison, cats with normal LV wall thickness or focal insertion-site thickening (n = 89) were compared with cats with a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) phenotype (n = 86).ResultsA total of 884 LVBs were identified. At least one LVB was detected in 199/200 cats, yielding an echocardiographic prevalence of 99.5%. The median number was 4 LVBs per cat (range 0-10). The most frequently observed attachment patterns involved the interventricular septum and papillary muscle or accessory papillary muscle-like structures. Overall, 51.9% of LVBs had at least one septal attachment, and 94.3% involved a papillary muscle or accessory papillary muscle-like structure. LVB counts did not differ by sex (P = 0.47), sedation status (P = 0.26), or between the normal/focal insertion-site thickening and HCM phenotype groups (P = 0.98).Conclusions and relevanceLeft ventricular bands were identified in nearly all cats examined and represent a common echocardiographic finding. Most involved septal and papillary muscle-related attachment sites. Sex and sedation status were not significantly associated with LVB number, and no significant difference was identified between the combined normal/focal insertion-site thickening group and the HCM phenotype group. These findings provide a reference framework for the echocardiographic recognition and classification of LVBs in cats under clinical imaging conditions.