Small Animal Radiology and Ultrasound: A Diagnostic Atlas and Text

Chapter Three The Abd omen 305
tion of air or gas from the bowel secondary to biliary duct dysfunction or inflammation, or
secondary to some biliary or pancreatic surgical procedures. This will produce a hyperechoic
gallbladder wall that causes shadows. Reverberation artifacts may be present, and
these will be a clue that the echoes are associated with air. As with calcified densities, an
abdominal radiograph will confirm the diagnosis. If the air or mineral is in the gallbladder
wall rather than free within the lumen of the gallbladder, it will remain fixed in position
despite changes in the patient’s position. Rotating the patient while observing the
A
B
Fig. 3-63 Longitudinal (A and B)
and transverse (C and D) sonograms
of the liver a 12-year-old spayed
female German Shepherd dog who
brought in for evaluation of chronic
epistaxis. The gallbladder is slightly
distended, the gallbladder wall is
slightly thickened and hyperechoic,
and there is echogenic material in
the dependent portion of the gallbladder.
There is shadowing evident
deep to this echogenic material
(arrows). This represents small gallstones.
Diagnosis: Cholecystitis with
mineralized material (gallstones)
within the gallbladder.
C
D
Fig. 3-64 Transverse (A and B) and
longitudinal (C and D) sonograms
of the gallbladder of a 3-year-old
male Miniature Poodle with a history
of elevated liver enzymes and
chronic dermatitis of 6 months
duration. There is a hyperechoic
mass within the gallbladder. This
mass is fixed in position. Diagnosis:
Polyp within the gallbladder.
A
B
C
D