Lee Joo-Young, Choi Jihye, Park Seung-Jo, Jung Jin-Woo, Yun Munsu, Baek Seonghyeon, Lee Kija, Lee Sang-Kwon
College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2025 Mar;66(2):e70021. doi: 10.1111/vru.70021.
Evaluating the morphological changes of the tympanic bulla and the contrast enhancement (CE) patterns are key factors in diagnosing otitis media and predicting its underlying etiology. However, limited research exists on the CE patterns of the tympanic bulla in cats with bulla effusion. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the prevalence and patterns of CE in the tympanic bulla based on the presence and severity of bulla effusion in cats. Feline head CT or brain MRI images from six institutions were analyzed. Transverse pre- and postcontrast CT and MRI images were reviewed to assess the presence and severity of bulla effusion, along with the presence, pattern, and location of tympanic bulla CE. A total of 644 tympanic bullae from 322 cats were included. Bulla effusion was detected in 105 of 644 bullae, while CE was observed in 73 of 644 bullae: 5 of 539 bullae without effusion and 68 of 105 bullae with effusion. CE was significantly more common in cats with bulla effusion, with the incidence increasing as effusion severity progressed. Focal rim enhancement, predominantly localized to the dorsal aspect of the tympanic bulla, was the most frequent enhancement pattern. In cases with mild or moderate bulla effusion, only focal dorsal enhancement was observed. However, in cats with severe bulla effusion, additional patterns, including focal ventral or lateral, complete rim, and internal enhancement, emerged. These findings suggest that both the incidence and patterns of CE evolve with the progression of bulla effusion in cats and that focal dorsal enhancement may be an early indicator.
评估鼓泡的形态变化和对比增强（CE）模式是诊断中耳炎及其潜在病因的关键因素。然而，关于患有鼓泡积液的猫的鼓泡CE模式的研究有限。这项回顾性研究旨在根据猫鼓泡积液的存在和严重程度，调查鼓泡CE的患病率和模式。分析了来自六个机构的猫头部CT或脑部MRI图像。回顾了横轴位对比前和对比后的CT和MRI图像，以评估鼓泡积液的存在和严重程度，以及鼓泡CE的存在、模式和位置。总共纳入了322只猫的644个鼓泡。在644个鼓泡中，检测到105个有鼓泡积液，而在644个鼓泡中观察到73个有CE：539个无积液的鼓泡中有5个，105个有积液的鼓泡中有68个。CE在有鼓泡积液的猫中明显更常见，其发生率随着积液严重程度的进展而增加。局灶性边缘强化主要位于鼓泡的背侧，是最常见的强化模式。在轻度或中度鼓泡积液的病例中，仅观察到局灶性背侧强化。然而，在有严重鼓泡积液的猫中，出现了其他模式，包括局灶性腹侧或外侧、完整边缘和内部强化。这些发现表明，猫鼓泡积液进展时，CE的发生率和模式都会发生变化，局灶性背侧强化可能是一个早期指标。
