Lima Bruna Bressianini, Carneiro Rafael Kretzer, Miranda Brenda Santos Pompeu, Gasser Beatriz, Aires Luiz Paulo Nogueira, Terrabuio Verônica Maria Teixeira de Castro, Uscategui Ricardo Andrés Ramirez, Junior Antônio Carlos Cunha Lacreta, Doiche Danuta Pulz, Evangelista Gabriela Castro Lopes, Feliciano Marcus Antônio Rossi
Departamento de Clínica e Cirurgia Veterinária, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" - FCAV/Unesp, Jaboticabal, Brazil.
Departamento de Medicina Veterinária, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina - CAV/UDESC, Lages, Brazil.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2025 May;66(3):e70031. doi: 10.1111/vru.70031.
This study aimed to evaluate the use of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography as a diagnostic tool for lung lesions in dogs. Dogs referred to the Radiology Department of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital between 2020 and 2022 for the detection of lung lesions were included in the study. The characteristics of the lung lesions were assessed using radiography as a screening tool for localization, B-mode ultrasound for tissue characterization, and subsequently, both qualitative (elastogram grades 1-3) and quantitative (shear wave velocity-SWV) elastographic evaluations. The lesions were classified based on clinical, ultrasound, radiographic, histopathological, and/or cytological findings into the following categories: consolidations, atelectasis, or neoplasms (nodules and masses). Twenty-six dogs met the eligibility criteria and were included in the study. In some cases, the same dog had more than one type of lesion, resulting in the evaluation of 35 lung lesions: 13 masses, 8 nodules, 8 consolidations, and 4 areas of atelectasis. The quantitative elastographic evaluation revealed lower stiffness in atelectatic lesions (1.48 ± 0.35 m/s) compared with consolidations (2.94 ± 0.64 m/s), nodules (2.85 ± 1.40 m/s), and masses (3.13 ± 1.45 m/s), although no definitive diagnostic cut-off value was established, due to the limited number of benign lesions. The results suggest that ARFI elastography can be a valuable complementary tool alongside clinical data and conventional imaging techniques in assessing lung lesions in dogs. Future studies with a larger sample size of benign parenchymal lung lesions are needed to further explore the potential of elastography for predicting malignancy.
本研究旨在评估声辐射力脉冲（ARFI）弹性成像作为犬类肺部病变诊断工具的应用。2020年至2022年间转诊至兽医教学医院放射科进行肺部病变检测的犬只纳入本研究。肺部病变的特征评估采用X线摄影作为定位筛查工具，B型超声进行组织特征分析，随后进行定性（弹性成像分级1 - 3级）和定量（剪切波速度 - SWV）弹性成像评估。根据临床、超声、X线摄影、组织病理学和/或细胞学检查结果，将病变分为以下几类：实变、肺不张或肿瘤（结节和肿块）。26只犬符合纳入标准并纳入本研究。在某些情况下，同一只犬有不止一种类型的病变，共评估了35个肺部病变：其中13个肿块、8个结节、8个实变和4个肺不张区域。定量弹性成像评估显示，与实变（2.94±0.64 m/s）、结节（2.85±1.40 m/s）和肿块（3.13±1.45 m/s）相比，肺不张病变的硬度较低（1.48±0.35 m/s），尽管由于良性病变数量有限，未确定明确的诊断临界值。结果表明，ARFI弹性成像可作为一种有价值的辅助工具，与临床数据和传统成像技术一起用于评估犬类肺部病变。未来需要对更大样本量的良性肺实质病变进行研究，以进一步探索弹性成像预测恶性肿瘤的潜力。
