Trikoupi Georgia, Papadopoulou Paraskevi, Adamama-Moraitou Katerina K, Filippitzi Maria Eleni, Deftereos Savvas, Koutinas Christos, Patsikas Michail, Papadopoulou Frederica
Laboratory of Diagnostic Imaging, Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Companion Animal Clinic, Department of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54627 Thessaloniki, Greece.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Jun 29;15(13):1918. doi: 10.3390/ani15131918.
The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate contrast-enhanced urosonography (CE-VUS) as an alternative to radiographic retrograde cystourethrography (RCUG) in the detection of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in young dogs. A total of 62 dogs, ranging in age from 6 weeks to 12 months, and 124 ureterorenal units (UUs) were investigated for VUR using RCUG and CE-VUS. After a baseline gray-scale ultrasound (US) of the urinary tract, a second-generation ultrasound contrast agent (UCA), diluted in a bottle of normal saline, was instilled into the urinary bladder via a catheter and CE-VUS was performed. VUR was detected when microbubbles were observed in the ureter and/or in the renal pelvis. In addition, RCUG was performed on the same day. The findings obtained by CE-VUS and RCUG were concordant in 117/124 UUs (94.35%). No reflux was detected in 101/124 UUs (81.45%) using both methods. With RCUG as the standard of reference, the sensitivity of CE-VUS was 94.12%, and the specificity was 94.39%. The positive predictive value was 72.73%, and the negative predictive value was 99.02%. CE-VUS is highly sensitive for the detection of VUR in young dogs.
这项前瞻性研究的目的是评估超声造影尿路成像（CE-VUS）作为一种替代放射逆行膀胱尿道造影（RCUG）的方法，用于检测幼犬膀胱输尿管反流（VUR）。共有62只年龄在6周龄至12个月龄之间的犬以及124个输尿管肾单位（UUs）接受了RCUG和CE-VUS检查以评估VUR。在对尿路进行基线灰阶超声（US）检查后，将稀释于一瓶生理盐水中的第二代超声造影剂（UCA）通过导管注入膀胱，并进行CE-VUS检查。当在输尿管和/或肾盂中观察到微泡时，即检测到VUR。此外，同一天还进行了RCUG检查。CE-VUS和RCUG的检查结果在117/124个UUs中一致（94.35%）。两种方法在101/124个UUs（81.45%）中均未检测到反流。以RCUG作为参考标准，CE-VUS的敏感性为94.12%，特异性为94.39%。阳性预测值为72.73%，阴性预测值为99.02%。CE-VUS对幼犬VUR的检测具有高度敏感性。
