From:
Lynn Siegel
Date: 2001-11-12 12:56:00 UTC
Subject: Ultrasound as way to test for tumors?
Dr. Williams you wrote in Digest #468
>>>>While there may be processes which accentuate this pattern in an
enlarged spleen, such as splenic infarcts, or tumors, it is very
difficult to tell what is going on by ultrasound, and even more
difficult to tell by a description of one.<<<<, I am wondering how good
ultrasounds are for detecting tumors in other places of the ferrets body.
Awhile back I had a ferret that had x-ray's & according to the tech reading
them, the ferret had several health problems, enlarged heart, was one & it
looked like she may have a tumor near her stomach. So they did a ultrasound
on her, it was ultrasound with color Doppler, whatever that is. According
to that everything was ok. I have read many times in the FML that
ultrasounds don't necessarily show tumors, especially in adrenal glands.
When I mention this to the vets, they insist that ultrasounds always show
tumors. So how good is a ultrasound to determine if a ferret has tumors or
not? Is it reliable? Is just having an x-ray better? Should you have both
done?
Thank you for your time,
Lynn & Clan War Weasels