Presentation
Presented with thoracic limb lameness and muscle atrophy from an axillary mass.
Patient Data
There is a round soft tissue opacity in the ventral thorax elevating the cardiac silhouette. The ventral border of the diaphragm is not visible. The opacity is localized to the right side on the orthogonal projections. There is mild pleural effusion. An endotracheal tube is in place indicating general anesthesia. The musculature of the right thoracic limb is decreased.
Case Discussion
Diaphragmatic hernia with mild pleural effusion. The spleen and gallbladder were found to be present in the thorax on ultrasound examination.
In this dog, the thoracic radiographs were performed to assess for metastatic disease and safety for anesthesia. The diaphragmatic hernia was an incidental finding and was not causing any clinical signs. The dog underwent an MRI for the axillary mass without complications.
The ventrodorsal projection helped to position the pleural effusion more dorsally and increased the visibility of the cardiac silhouette and the mass.
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.