Alimentary Anatomy Flashcards
Salivary gland Anatomy
Parotid: opens adjacent to upper PM4
Mandibular: opens adjacent to frenulum
Sublingual: opens adjacent to frenulum & in sublingual recess
Zygomatic: opens caudal to parotid gland
Molar: opens in adjacent mucous membrane
Salivary mucocoeles
- Salivary mucocoeles from when disruption of the gland and duct anatomy lead to saliva leaking into the tissues.
- The underlying cause is not often known but is assumed to be minor trauma.
- Any gland can be affected but the sublingual salivary gland is most commonly responsible.
- Clinical signs depend upon the location of the swelling and may include:
- Painless swelling
- difficulty eating
- dyspnoea
- salivary mucocoeles most commonly involve the sublingual chain and appear as a fluctuant dependent swelling below the mandible. A dependent submandibular swelling is the most common physical examination finding for dogs with sublingual salivary mucocoeles. A dependent swelling is a swelling which develops at the lowest point associated with the influence of gravity.
Parotid Salivary Mucocoele
- Parotid salivary mucocoeles are very uncommon.
- They produce a swelling around the ear or on the side of the face, in contrast to the more dependent swelling seen with sublingual and mandibular mucocoeles.
Ascites
- Ascites refers to abnormal accumulation fluid in the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity.
- The most common cause ofascites is cirrhosis of the liver.
- Treatment of ascites depends on its underlying cause
Normal Diameter of the Small Intestine
(for radiograph reference)
- no more than 1.6 times the size of L5
- be aware: dilated uterus may mimic the size of a dilated intestine
- to distinguish b/w the two (sometimes around day 44 of pregnancy in a dog you will see the fetuses)- try to follow it caudally to the pelvic inlet
“Gravel Sign”
Abnormal Luminal Shape of Intestine on Radiograph
- note the plication (folding)
- most commonly seen in cats!
Intussusception
- Intussusception is a medical condition in which a part of the intestine folds into the section next to it.
- It typically involves the small bowel and less commonly the large bowel.
- Symptoms include abdominal pain which may come and go, vomiting, abdominal bloating, and bloody stool
- can often see ileo-colic intussusception on radiograph
- more forward loop going into the more caudal loop, apply contrast caudally and you can see the caudal loop surrounding smaller loop
Abnormal Mucosal Surface
- too hard to be confident on from just a radiograph
- use contrast study or ultrasound
- look for consistency down duodenum of abnormal mucosal surface
Normal Gastric Emptying times
-in puppies the GI tract moves faster
Vomiting Kitten: is it obstructed?
No, the barium has reached the rectum as indicated by the arrow (20 min later)
-can exclude the possibility of obstruction
Ultrasonography in GI disease
- severe cases, you may see a completely unmotile intestine
- should be able to see all hte layers on ultrasound
- tissue: more opaque
- black: liquid (blood), air (gas)
Corrugated Intestine
-hyperperistaltic
foreign bodies
(ultrasound intestine)
- Normal Ultrasonographic Appearance (duodenum and pancreas)
- pancreaticoduodenal vein is an important landmark
- Ultrasound of pancreatitis
- uniform and thick showing
- Ultrasound is not very sensitive though, need to combine with other tests and clinical signs to diagnose
- Lymphadenomegaly - gastric lymph nodes
- very big and round
- markedly hypoechoic
Selective Imaging by anatomic region
+ = limited information
++ = some useful info
+++ = very detailed information
Survey R- survey radiography
CR - contrast radiography
US- ultrasound
