Introduction

Uses

• Investigation of:
  • Hyperthyroidism. Thyroid gland: neoplasia
  • Cervical swellings.
  • Hypercalcemia Hypercalcemia: overview.

Advantages

• Low cost.
• Non-invasive.
• Straightforward.
• Short time requirement if experienced.
• Rarely requires sedation.
• No known biological risk.
• Allows ultrasound-guided:
  • Fine needle aspirate Fine-needle aspirate Cytology: fine needle aspirate.
  • Biopsy.
  • Ethanol ablation of parathyroid masses.
    Time requirement will reduce with operator experience.

Disadvantages

• May require patient's coat to be clipped.
• Normal sonographic appearance does not exclude disease.
• Gives no information on endocrine function.
• Abnormal sonographic appearance does not always indicate significant disease.
• Similar sonographic appearance with different diseases.

Potential problems

• Poor transducer-skin contact:
  • Inadequate clipping.
  • Insufficient coupling medium.
• Inadequate patient restraint.
• Operator inexperience.
• Inadequate equipment.

Alternatives

• Exploratory surgery for parathyroid tumors.

Equipment

Patient preparation

Technique

Normal anatomy

Abnormalities

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Brömel C, Pollard R E, Kass P H et al (2005) Ultrasonographic evaluation of the thyroid gland in healthy, hypothyroid, and euthyroid Golden Retrievers with nonthyroidal illness. J Vet Intern Med 19 (4), 499-506 PubMed.
• Reese S, Breyer U, Deeg C et al (2005) Thyroid sonography as an effective tool to discriminate between euthyroid sick and hypothyroid dogs. J Vet Intern Med 19 (4), 491-498 PubMed.
• Wisner E R, Nyland T G, Feldman E C et al (1993) Ultrasonographic evaluation of the parathyroid glands in hypercalcemic dogs. Vet Radiol 34 (2), 108-111 VetMedResource.

Other sources of information

• Reusch C (2001) Ultrasonography of the parathyroid glands in dogs - a review. Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd 143 (2), 55-62 PubMed.
• Wisner E R & Nyland T G (1998) Ultrasonography of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. Vet Clin NA 28, 973-991 PubMed.