6-year-old spayed female Labrador
Lethargy, inappetance, signs of abdominal pain and pyrexia for about 3 weeks, mild neutrophilia with left shift, sublumbar abscess identified by CT, thoracic CT requested to look for additional lesions
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- study comprises transverse non-contrast CT images of the thorax; lung window
- multiple small pulmonary nodules, predominantly in the periphery
- multiple pulmonary nodules is a non-specific finding; potential aetiologies include hematogenous dissemination of disease, e.g. metastasis, embolism
- embolic pneumonia is compatible with the finding of sublumbar abscess
- lumbar neoplasm with secondary abscess and pulmonary metastasis should also be considered
- further testing may enable diagnosis of pulmonary lesions, e.g. bronchoalveolar lavage, biopsy
- treatment of lumbar abscess may lead to resolution of embolic pneumonia without need for further testing; this could be determined by follow-up CT scan