Feline laryngeal mass-could be inflammatory....

Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, 2025

Author

Obi Veterinary Education
October 20, 2025

Manabu Kurihara, Shino Yoshida, Masahiro Suematsu

Background
Inflammatory laryngeal disease in cats is a nonneoplastic condition that remains poorly documented in veterinary literature. Diagnosis is challenging due to similarities with neoplastic lesions. This study aimed to characterize the diagnostic imaging features of inflammatory laryngeal disease using radiography, echolaryngography, and endoscopy and to assess the clinical outcomes of affected cats.

Methods
A retrospective study was conducted on seven cats diagnosed with inflammatory laryngeal disease at a veterinary referral center. All cats underwent radiographic, echolaryngographic, and endoscopic evaluations, with diagnoses confirmed via histopathology. Echolaryngography utilized an 18 MHz high-frequency probe with spatial compounding to assess laryngeal masses, thickening, echogenicity, and motility. Clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, treatments, and survival outcomes were analyzed.

Results
Laryngeal masses or thickening were identified in all cases. Radiographic abnormalities included laryngeal displacement, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal dilation, and hyoid apparatus deformities. Echolaryngography successfully detected laryngeal lesions and provided detailed structural information, closely correlating with endoscopic findings. Histopathology revealed neutrophilic, lymphocytic, or lymphoplasmacytic inflammation with granulation tissue formation. Three cats survived long-term (507–801 days), while disease-related mortality occurred within 19 to 90 days in four cats.

Limitations
The study was limited by its small sample size and retrospective design. The lack of control subjects and potential imaging interpretation bias may affect the generalizability of findings. No follow-up imaging was performed to evaluate treatment response, and necropsies were not conducted to confirm the absence of neoplasia.

Conclusions
Echolaryngography proved to be a valuable, noninvasive diagnostic tool for detecting feline inflammatory laryngeal disease. However, differentiating inflammatory from neoplastic lesions based on imaging alone remains difficult, emphasizing the need for histopathological confirmation. Radiographic and echolaryngographic findings, when integrated into a multimodal diagnostic approach, can aid in the identification of laryngeal pathology. Future studies with larger cohorts and advanced imaging techniques are warranted to improve diagnostic accuracy.

Right lateral cervical expiratory (A) and inspiratory (B) radiographs, and right lateral thoracic radiograph (C) of a cat with inflammatory laryngeal disease (Cat 3). In the inspiratory phase, a laryngeal mass is severely displaced caudally at the level of C3, and the oropharynx is markedly gas-distended. The hyoid apparatus appears L-shaped and is severely displaced caudally. The soft palate remains in a normal position. The esophagus is generally and severely gas-distended with a ventral deviation of the thoracic trachea, and the included gastrointestinal tract is also severely distended with gas.

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