Case of the Month: July 2009
06/17/2009
Case Presentation:
BeagleX 2year old MN, presented for vomiting and loss of appetite.
Bloodwork not yet available at time of radiographs however abdominal radiographs showed a curvilinear mineral opacity overlying each renal silhouette in the region of the corticomedullary junction.
Assessment:
Radiographic diagnosis: Nephrocalcinosis. The findings are due to calcification of soft tissue in cases of chronic renal failure. To identify this radiographically is rare, therefore the lack of finding does not exclude renal failure as a diagnosis. There is a poor correlation between microscopic and radiographic degrees of visceral soft tissue calcification. There is also a poor correlation between the degree of calcium and phosphate imbalance and the extent of radiographic evidence of soft tissue calcification. Other potential sites of soft tissue calcification which may show radiographically include the gastric wall and footpads.
Images provided by Dr. K. Layton, Pine Valley Animal Hospital, Wilmington, NC
