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Research Article
Lily Hung
Animalius Vet
Corresponding Author
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background:
The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of underlying conditions causing pleural effusion in cats and to calculate the positive predictive values, negative predictive values, sensitivity and specificity of radiographic signs.
Methods:
Data from 151 cats diagnosed with pleural effusion with known aetiologies were retrospectively analysed. Seventy-one patients’ thoracic radiographs were available for a prospective, blinded evaluation by two radiologists.
Results:
Congestive heart failure (52.3%) was the most common diagnosis, followed by neoplasia (21.9%), pyothorax (10.6%), idiopathic chylous effusion (5.3%), feline infectious peritonitis (1.3%) and Other or cats with multiple diagnoses (total 9.3%). Cats with an enlarged cardiac silhouette had a high positive predictive value of congestive heart failure (73% and 81% for radiologist 1 and 2 respectively). The presence of unilateral effusion was highly predictive of pyothorax (75%) for radiologist 1 and poorly predictive (20%) for radiologist 2. Mediastinal masses (100%, 83% for radiologist 1 and 2 respectively), pulmonary nodules (50%, 50%) and pulmonary masses (50%, 67%) had moderate probabilities of neoplasia. The remainder of the radiographic variables were not informative predictors of underlying disease.
Conclusions:
In our population of cats, congestive heart failure was the most common cause of pleural effusion. Radiographically enlarged cardiac silhouette, presence of a mediastinal mass and unilateral effusion may be useful predictors of aetiology. Limitations of radiography alone as a diagnostic tool are discussed.
Keywords
Pleural effusion, Idiopathic chylothorax, Pyothorax, Congestive heart failure, Feline pleural effusion, Radiographic parameters, Positive and negative predictive values, Mediastinal mass, Thorax radiography, Cardiomegaly
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No competing interests reported.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 08 Nov, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviews received
Received 17 Nov, 2021
Reviewers agreed
On 13 Nov, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 09 Nov, 2021
Editor assigned
On 04 Nov, 2021
Editor invited
On 04 Nov, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 03 Nov, 2021
First submitted
On 24 Oct, 2021
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This preprint is under consideration at BMC Veterinary Research. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research Article
Lily Hung
Animalius Vet
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Review
Version 1
Posted 08 Nov, 2021
No community comments so far
Reviews received
Received 17 Nov, 2021
Reviewers agreed
On 13 Nov, 2021
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 09 Nov, 2021
Editor assigned
On 04 Nov, 2021
Editor invited
On 04 Nov, 2021
Submission checks complete
On 03 Nov, 2021
First submitted
On 24 Oct, 2021
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background:
The objectives of the study were to determine the prevalence of underlying conditions causing pleural effusion in cats and to calculate the positive predictive values, negative predictive values, sensitivity and specificity of radiographic signs.
Methods:
Data from 151 cats diagnosed with pleural effusion with known aetiologies were retrospectively analysed. Seventy-one patients’ thoracic radiographs were available for a prospective, blinded evaluation by two radiologists.
Results:
Congestive heart failure (52.3%) was the most common diagnosis, followed by neoplasia (21.9%), pyothorax (10.6%), idiopathic chylous effusion (5.3%), feline infectious peritonitis (1.3%) and Other or cats with multiple diagnoses (total 9.3%). Cats with an enlarged cardiac silhouette had a high positive predictive value of congestive heart failure (73% and 81% for radiologist 1 and 2 respectively). The presence of unilateral effusion was highly predictive of pyothorax (75%) for radiologist 1 and poorly predictive (20%) for radiologist 2. Mediastinal masses (100%, 83% for radiologist 1 and 2 respectively), pulmonary nodules (50%, 50%) and pulmonary masses (50%, 67%) had moderate probabilities of neoplasia. The remainder of the radiographic variables were not informative predictors of underlying disease.
Conclusions:
In our population of cats, congestive heart failure was the most common cause of pleural effusion. Radiographically enlarged cardiac silhouette, presence of a mediastinal mass and unilateral effusion may be useful predictors of aetiology. Limitations of radiography alone as a diagnostic tool are discussed.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
No competing interests reported.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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