Echocardiographic and Angiographic Comparison of Ductal Dimensions in Dogs with Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Saunders, Ashley B.
Miller, Matthew W.
Gordon, Sonya G.
Bahr, Anne

From the Departments of Small Animal Veterinary Clinical Sciences (Saunders, Miller, Gordon) and Large Animal Veterinary Clinical Sciences (Bahr), College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX.

Reprint requests: Ashley B. Saunders DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology), Department of Small Animal Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4474; e-mail:[email protected].

Submitted April 10, 2006; Revised May 23, 2006; June 5, 2006; Accepted July 19, 2006.

Copyright © 2007 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine

0891-6640/07/2101-0010/$3.00/0

Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 21(1):p 68-75, January 2007.

Background:

Transcatheter occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a minimally invasive treatment option in dogs. Device selection based on appropriately acquired PDA dimensions and morphology can minimize procedural complications, including minimizing residual ductal flow and inappropriate embolization.

Hypothesis:

Transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) derived minimum ductal diameter measurements would most accurately reflect angiographic measurements. Color Doppler (CD) TEE and transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) ductal measurements would overestimate two-dimensional (2D) measurements.

Animals:

Fifteen client-owned dogs with PDA.

Methods:

PDA dimensions obtained with angiography, 2D and CD TTE, 2D and CD TEE from the right and left views were prospectively evaluated.

Results:

PDA dimensions were measured by using TEE most closely approximated angiographic measures. CD TTE and TEE frequently overestimated angiographic measures of minimum ductal diameter. TEE accurately identified a type III (tubular) PDA morphology in 1 dog. Fourteen of 15 dogs were determined to have hemodynamically significant reductions in left to right shunting documented by a first-pass nuclear angiocardiographic ratio of pulmonary to systemic blood flow ≤1.2 and trivial (n = 3) to no (n = 11) CD TTE flow at approximately 1 month after PDA occlusion.

Conclusions:

TEE provided accurate anatomic information regarding PDA morphology and closely approximated angiographic ductal dimensions while aiding in both coil deployment and confirmation of intra-operative ductal closure.