Evaluation of radiodiagnostic images with intraoperative findings in thoracic diseases in cats and dogs

This study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic value of imaging modalities used in the diagnosis of thoracic diseases and their agreement with intraoperative findings. In the study, 50 cases (40 cats and 10 dogs) requiring surgical intervention were analyzed. The age range of the cases ranged from 1,5 months to 11 years and it was found that male animals (62%) were more affected than females (38%). The most common clinical findings were abdominal respiration (19.6%), dyspnea (17.8%) and tachypnea (8.4%). The most common pathology was diaphragmatic hernia (30%), followed by peritoneopericardial diaphragmatic hernia (20%) and thoracic neoplasms (16%). The agreement of the diagnoses obtained by imaging methods with intraoperative findings was 88% complete and 12% partial. Radiography was used as the first diagnostic tool in all cases and provided sufficient diagnostic information alone in 22% of cases. The most frequently preferred imaging protocol with the highest diagnostic accuracy was the combination of radiography-ultrasonography-CT (24%). In cases where this triple combination was used, the agreement rate with intraoperative findings reached 91.7%. The most frequently preferred approach in surgical treatment was median laparotomy (50%), followed by intercostal thoracotomy (18%). No complications developed in 50% of the cases in the postoperative period. In terms of survival, complete recovery was achieved in 66% of cases. In conclusion, the combination of imaging modalities in the diagnosis of thoracic diseases provides higher diagnostic accuracy than a single modality. The high concordance of imaging findings with intraoperative findings supports the reliability of imaging modalities for preoperative diagnosis and surgical planning. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the diagnosis and treatment of thoracic diseases should not be dependent on a single imaging modality and that appropriate combinations of modalities should be preferred according to the clinical condition of the patient and the suspected pathology. In addition, it is important to establish standardized imaging protocols, keep a detailed imaging archive and be prepared for alternative surgical approaches, especially in complex cases. In future studies, it would be useful to perform cost-effectiveness analyses of different imaging modalities and to determine optimal diagnostic protocols.