• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.371-374
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• 2006

A 4-month-old, intact male, Tosa with a history of a regurgitation, vomiting, and weight loss for three weeks was presented to Animal Medical Center, Chonbuk National University. In Serial plain radiographs, a severely distended stomach was seen and ultrasonogram revealed a nonfunctional pylorus with normal layer comparable with an obstruction of pyloric region by pyloric achalasia. An esophagram and endoscopy revealed normal peristalsis with failure of the lower esophageal sphincter to open, supporting the diagnosis of esophageal achalasia. Megaesophagus was observed on reradiograph and esophagram 11 days later. The clinical signs and esophageal dilation were resolved without resorting to any treatment.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.248-251
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• 2003

Esophageal obstruction as a result of persistence of the right aortic arch was diagnosed in a 3-month-old male Persian cat. Regurgitation right after weaning and retardation were noted in this cat. Survey radiographic signs on the lateral view include ventral deviation of the thoracic trachea caused by draping of the dilated esophagus over the dorsum of the trachea and a distinct interface of the dorsal wall of the esophagus silhouetting with the cranial thoracic hypaxial muscles. On the ventrodorsal view, the cranial mediastinum was widened with soft tissue density. The trachea was deviated to the right. In an esophagram, the segmental dilation of the esophagus with constriction of the lumen just cranial to the heart base was apparent. Thoracotomy was performed and corrective surgery was carried out. At surgery, it was confirmed that the esophagus was constricted at the cranial to the base of the heart.

• Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.282-285
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• 2018

The objective is to review a case of pneumoparotitis and to discuss how knowledge of this unique presentation is important when making differential diagnoses in emergency medicine. A patient with recurrent subcutaneous emphysema of the head and neck is reviewed. Stenson's duct demonstrated purulent discharge. Physical examination revealed palpable crepitance of the head and neck. Fiberoptic laryngoscopy and barium esophagram were normal. Computed tomography demonstrated left pneumoparotitis and subcutaneous emphysema from the scalp to the clavicles. This is an unusual presentation of pneumoparotitis and malingering. Emergency physicians should be aware of pneumoparotitis and its presentation when creating a differential diagnosis for pneumomediastinum, which includes more life-threatening diagnoses such as airway or esophageal injuries.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.26-29
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• 2018

A 6-month-old, female poodle presented with a three-month history of persistent regurgitation immediately after eating. On physical examination, the patient was emaciated and dehydrated. Thoracic radiography showed ventral displacement of the trachea and increased radiopacity in the mediastinum, cranial to the heart base. A severely dilated esophagus was identified cranial to the heart on esophagram. Computed tomography (CT) revealed the esophagus was filled with gas, fluid and a little of contrast and dilated from caudo-cervical to cranio-thoracic part. The esophageal diameter was markedly decreased at the heart base. In addition, the trachea was displaced to the left-ventral side of the right aortic trunk and an aberrant left subclavian artery originating from the aorta was identified. There was no evidence of abdominal vascular anomaly. Based on diagnostic imaging, persistent right aortic arch (PRAA) with an aberrant left subclavian artery was diagnosed. The patient did not undergo surgery and died at 15 days after diagnosis. This report describes imaging diagnosis, including CT and radiography in a weaned dog with regurgitation due to esophageal obstruction by PRAA. When PRAA is suspected and conventional radiography or contrast study is insufficient for diagnosis, CT may be helpful for diagnosing PRAA.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 1970

In an endeavor to help understand some typical scan findings and portal hemodynamics in liver cirrhosis, several commonly occurring scan changes and esophageal varices as demonstrated by esophagram were correlated one another from quantitative and qualitative stand points. Clinical materials consisted of 34 patients with proven diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and esophageal varices. Liver scan was performed with colloidal 198-Au and the changes in the size and internal architecture of the liver, splenic uptake and splenomegaly were graded and scored by repeated double-blind readings. The variceal changes on esophagrams were also graded according to the classification of Shanks and Kerley following modification. Of 34 patients, 91% showed definite reduction in liver volume (shrinkage) constituting the most frequent scan change. The splenic uptake and splenomegaly were noted in 73.5 and 79.4%, respectively. The present study revealed no positive correlation between the graded scan findings including shrinkage of the liver, splenic uptake or splenomegaly and severity of variceal changes of the esophagus. Exceptionally, however, apparently paradoxical correlation was noted between the severity of mottlings and varices. Thus, in the majority (73.5%) of patients mottlings were either absent or mild. This interesting observation is in favor of the view held by Christie et al. who consider the mottlings to be not faithful expression of actual scarring of the cirrhotic liver. This also would indicate that variceal changes are to be the results of intrahepatic arteriovenous shunting of blood with hypervolemic load to the portal system rather than simple hypertension secondary to fibrosis and shrinkage.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.269-272
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• 2001

Fourteen dogs referred to veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, Seoul National University were diagnosed as esophageal foreign body (9 cases), megaesophagus (4 cases) and esophageal stricture (1 case). Patients showed a variety of clinical signs including regurgitation, vomiting, anorexia, hypersalivation, and retching. Survey radiographic examination included the entire esophagus, including the caudal pharynx and cranial abdomen. contrast radiographs were done to identify lesions or to characterize abnormal radiographic findings on survey films. In case static contrast studies were not sufficient were not sufficient to differentiate the diseases, dynamic fluoroscopic studies were performed. In thoracic megaesophagus, when gas filled, it provided several hallmark findings such as visualization of paired longus colli muscle and tracheal stripe sign. When gas-distended, the caudal thoracic esophagus was seen as a pair of thin, soft-tissue stripes that converged into a point overlying the diaphragm and cranial abdomen. All cases of megaesophagus could be solely identified by survey radiographs. In esophageal foreign body, 6 cases out of 9 patients had the history of having foreign body and others not. Most of esophageal foreign body could be diagnosed on survey radiographs and one case with radiolucent foreign body was confirmed by esophagram. It appeared as radiopaque material along the path of esophagus and the radiopacity was determined by its nature. Obstruction caused by foreign body eventually led to dilation of the esophageal lumen cranial to the site in 3 cases. In esophageal stricture, there was no remarkable findings on survey radiograph of the thorax. However, esophagography with barium sulfate showed the narrowing of the esophagus near hiatus. On fluoroscopy, swallowed barium was stagnated cranial to the site despite the esophageal peristalsis.