Cellular features of sonographic target lesions of the liver and spleen in 21 dogs and a cat

Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2002 May-Jun;43(3):275-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2002.tb01003.x.

Abstract

Target lesions are seen in ultrasound images of the liver or spleen as nodules or masses with a hypoechoic rim and a hyperechoic or isoechoic center. To assess the diagnostic significance of finding a target lesion, the cytologic and/or histopathologic findings were reviewed in a series of 21 dogs and a cat that had hepatic and/or splenic target lesions noted during abdominal ultrasonography. Twelve of 16 hepatic target lesions and 5 of 7 splenic target lesions were malignant. In this series, the finding of one or more target lesions in the liver or spleen had a positive predictive value for malignancy of 74%; for the finding of multiple target lesions in one organ, the positive predictive value for malignancy was 81%. Benign lesions associated with target lesions were nodular hyperplasia of the liver and spleen, pyogranulomatous hepatitis, cirrhosis, and chronic active hepatitis.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Adenocarcinoma / veterinary
  • Animals
  • Carcinoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma / veterinary
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / veterinary
  • Cat Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cat Diseases / pathology
  • Cats
  • Dog Diseases / diagnostic imaging*
  • Dog Diseases / pathology
  • Dogs
  • Female
  • Hemangiosarcoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Hemangiosarcoma / veterinary
  • Liver Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Diseases / veterinary
  • Liver Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Liver Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • Lymphoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Lymphoma / veterinary
  • Male
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Records / veterinary
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Splenic Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Splenic Neoplasms / veterinary*
  • Ultrasonography / standards
  • Ultrasonography / veterinary