Neovascularization in canine mammary carcinoma – a case report

Abstract

The frequency of mammary tumors in canines is three times higher than in women. Contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is a noninvasive clinical method, that uses special contrast agents (CAs), their role being to layout the microvasculature of different lesions. The aim of this particular method, in this case, was to establish if we can evaluate the malignancy of a mass, given the fact that neovascularization is a malignancy marker. The case is represented by a Silky Terrier breed female dog, 5 years old, that was presented initially with an enlarged polycystic mammary gland and a nervous lactation. The female was initially diagnosed with polycystic mastosis. After 2 more months the mass became denser and enlarged. Before the ovariohisterectomy and unilateral mastectomy surgeries have taken place, a B-Mode standard ultrasound, CEUS and a pulmonary X-ray were performed. Our results integrate this case in “fast in” and “slow in” (type 2 curve). The histological diagnosis was established as a simple cystic papillary carcinoma with a malignancy grade 2. The mean value of the MVD was 13.75 which is a low MVD. We cannot determine a correlation between CEUS and a tumor’s malignancy, and so further studies are needed.