Hahn Harriet, Freiche Valérie, Baril Aurélie, Charpentier Julie, Desquilbet Loïc, Le Poder Sophie, Servely Jean-Luc, Laloy Eve, Pey Pascaline
1 Department of Medical Imaging, University Paris-Est Créteil, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Maisons-Alfort, France.
Current address: CHV Frégis, France.
J Feline Med Surg. 2017 Feb;19(2):85-93. doi: 10.1177/1098612X15602740. Epub 2016 Jul 10.
Objectives The aim of the study was to describe the ultrasonographic and endoscopic appearance and characteristics of the caecum in asymptomatic cats, and to correlate these findings with histology. Methods Ex vivo ultrasonographic and histologic evaluations of a fresh caecum were initially performed. Then, 20 asymptomatic cats, privately owned or originating from a reproductive colony, were recruited. All cats had an ultrasonographic examination of the ileocaecocolic junction, where the thickness of the caecal wall, ileocolic lymph nodes and the echogenicity of the local fat were assessed. They all underwent a colonoscopy with a macroscopic assessment of the mucosa and biopsies for histology. Results An ultrasonographic hypoechoic nodular inner layer, which corresponded to the coalescence of multiple lymphoid follicles originating from the submucosa and protruding in the mucosa on histology, was visible in all parts of the caecum. The combined mucosa and submucosa was measured ultrasonographically and defined as the follicular layer. Although all cats were asymptomatic, 3/19 cats showed mild caecal inflammation on histology. The most discriminatory ultrasonographic parameter in assessing this subclinical inflammation was the thickness of the follicular layer at the entrance of the caecum, with a cut-off value of 2.0 mm. All cats (20/20) showed some degree of macroscopic 'dimpling' of the caecal mucosa on endoscopy. Conclusions and relevance Lymphoid follicles in the caecal mucosa and submucosa constitute a unique follicular layer on ultrasound. In asymptomatic cats, a subtle, non-clinically relevant inflammation may exist and this is correlated with an increased thickness of the follicular layer on ultrasound. On endoscopy, a 'dimpled aspect' to the caecal mucosa is a normal finding in the asymptomatic cat.
目的 本研究旨在描述无症状猫盲肠的超声和内镜表现及特征，并将这些发现与组织学结果相关联。方法 首先对新鲜盲肠进行离体超声和组织学评估。然后，招募了20只无症状猫，这些猫为私人饲养或来自繁殖群体。所有猫均接受了回盲结肠交界处的超声检查，评估盲肠壁厚度、回结肠淋巴结及局部脂肪的回声性。它们均接受了结肠镜检查，对黏膜进行宏观评估并取组织进行组织学检查。结果 在盲肠各部位均可见超声低回声结节状内层，组织学上对应于起源于黏膜下层并向黏膜内突出的多个淋巴滤泡的融合。超声测量黏膜和黏膜下层的总和并定义为滤泡层。尽管所有猫均无症状，但19只猫中有3只在组织学上显示轻度盲肠炎症。评估这种亚临床炎症最具鉴别性的超声参数是盲肠入口处滤泡层的厚度，临界值为2.0 mm。所有猫（20/20）在内镜检查时均显示盲肠黏膜有一定程度的宏观“凹陷”。结论及相关性 盲肠黏膜和黏膜下层的淋巴滤泡在超声上构成独特的滤泡层。在无症状猫中，可能存在轻微的、与临床无关的炎症，这与超声上滤泡层厚度增加相关。在内镜检查中，盲肠黏膜的“凹陷外观”在无症状猫中是正常表现。
