B-MODE AND DOPPLER ULTRASOUND IMAGING OF THE SPLEEN WITH CANINE SPLENIC TORSION - A RETROSPECTIVE EVALUATION

The ultrasonographic appearance of splenic torsion has been described; the splenic parenchyma can be normal, hypoechoic or anechoic with int erspersed linear echoes (coarse/''lacy'' appearance), The ultrasonogra phic parenchymal appearance of 15 dogs in this report with splenic tor sion varied: mottled hypoechoic regions (n = 2), diffusely hypoechoic (n = 11) and normal (n = 2), Because splenic torsion causes vascular c ongestion due to splenic vein compression and eventual thrombosis, vis ible splenic vein intraluminal echogenicities compatible with thrombi were seen in 13 dogs using B-mode. Using spectral Doppler and color Do ppler imaging of the splenic veins, no measurable flow velocities were detected in any of the 15 dogs. The varied B-mode ultrasonographic ap pearance of the splenic parenchyma with splenic torsion necessitates B -mode evaluation of the splenic veins for intraluminal echoes and spec tral or color Doppler evaluation for absent velocity flow.