ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF ALIMENTARY LYMPHOSARCOMA IN THE CAT

Clinical, radiological and ultrasonographic findings from 22 cats with gastrointestinal lymphosarcoma were reviewed. The most common clinica l findings were anorexia, weight loss, vomiting, lethargy, depression, fever, anemia and a palpable abdominal mass. Abdominal radiographs of 12 cats revealed a mass associated with the gastrointestinal tract an d/or mesentery, and decreased serosal detail, suggestive of peritoneal effusion. The most common ultrasonographic finding was transmural gas tric or intestinal thickening associated with loss of normal wall laye ring, reduced wall echogenicity and localized hypomotility. As is note d in people, other patterns such as transmural-segmental, transmural-n odular, transmural-bulky and mucosal infiltration were represented. In 3 cats, mesenteric lymphadenopathy was responsible for most of the ma ss-effect. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy, automated microcore biopsy, endoscopic biopsy or necropsy confirmed the diagnosis of lymphosarcoma in all cats. Chemotherapy was instituted in 19 cats. Only 6 cats had a complete response to treatment. The results of this study indicate t hat ultrasonography is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of feline ali mentary lymphosarcoma and that biopsies can be obtained under ultrason ographic guidance.