Open AccessPortal Vein/Aorta Ratio in Dogs with Acquired Portosystemic Collaterals
Author(s) -
Sakamoto Y.,
Sakai M.,
Watari T.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/jvim.14802
Subject(s) - medicine , gastroenterology , portosystemic shunt , portal hypertension , cirrhosis
Background The portal vein ( PV ) diameter increases in humans with portal hypertension ( PH ). However, there is no evidence of PV enlargement in dogs with PH . Objectives To measure the PV ‐to‐aorta ( PV /Ao) ratio in dogs with PH (chronic hepatitis [ CH ], primary hypoplasia of the PV [ PHPV ]), in dogs with extrahepatic congenital portosystemic shunt ( EH ‐ CPSS ), and in healthy dogs, and to evaluate the relationship between PV /Ao ratio and splenic pulp pressure ( SPP ). Animals Twenty‐five dogs with acquired portosystemic collaterals ( APSC s; 15 with CH , 10 with PHPV ), 32 dogs with EH ‐ CPSS , and 20 healthy dogs. Methods Retrospective study. The PV /Ao ratio was calculated with images obtained by computed tomography. SPP was measured at the time of liver biopsy in 45 dogs. Results Median PV /Ao ratio was similar between dogs with CH (1.35, range 1.05–2.01) and healthy dogs (0.95, 0.80–1.15), but differed significantly between the CH group and both the PHPV (0.40, 0.24–0.67) and EH ‐ CPSS groups (0.30, 0.11–0.64) ( P < .001). The PV /Ao ratio was significantly lower in the PHPV group than in healthy dogs ( P < .05). It also correlated positively with SPP ( r s = 0.71; P < .001). However, there was no intragroup correlation between SPP and the PV /Ao ratio in any group. Conclusions and Clinical Importance The PV /Ao ratio can be evaluated in dogs with APSC s on computed tomography. Further studies are needed to examine the relationship between SPP and the PV /Ao ratio in larger groups of dogs with PH and to determine its clinical relevance.