Gastric muscularis-might be a normal variant.....

Clinical and Histopathologic Findings in Dogs with the Ultrasonographic Appearance of Gastric Muscularis Unorganized Hyperechoic Striations

Hock Gan Heng, Chee Kin Lim, Sarah Steinbach, Meaghan Maureen Broman, Margaret Allan Miller.

Background
During routine ultrasonography of the canine gastrointestinal tract, unorganized hyperechoic striations (UHS) have been observed within the gastric muscularis layer. The clinical significance of these findings remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastric muscularis UHS, characterize their ultrasonographic and histologic features, and assess potential clinical correlations.

Methods
A single-institution study was conducted in two parts:
-Prospective study: 72 dogs underwent routine abdominal ultrasound over four weeks. The presence, distribution, and characteristics of gastric muscularis UHS were recorded.

-Retrospective study: 167 dogs that had undergone both abdominal ultrasound and necropsy were evaluated. Histologic analysis, including Masson’s trichrome staining, was performed on dogs with UHS to identify the presence of fibrosis. Clinical records were reviewed for gastrointestinal disease history.

Results
Prevalence: UHS were found in 37.5% of dogs in the prospective study and 5.4% in the retrospective study. The higher prevalence in the prospective study was attributed to increased scrutiny by radiologists.

Ultrasonographic Features: UHS were more visible in the ventral gastric wall, especially when the stomach was empty or non-distended. When the stomach was distended with gas or fluid, the UHS appeared parallel to the serosa.

Histopathology: Among eight necropsied dogs with UHS, three had fibrous tissue within the gastric muscularis layer, suggesting a possible correlation with fibrosis. However, five dogs did not show increased fibrosis, indicating that other structural features, such as natural interfaces between the gastric muscularis sublayers, may contribute to UHS formation.

Clinical Correlations: Most dogs with UHS had no significant gastrointestinal disease. Some dogs in the retrospective study had concurrent systemic diseases (renal disease, neoplasia, pancreatitis), but a direct relationship with UHS could not be established.

Limitations
Histopathologic confirmation was only available for a small subset of dogs, and sampling differences may have contributed to inconsistencies in identifying fibrosis. Additionally, the retrospective portion relied on previously captured ultrasound images, limiting the ability to evaluate the full extent of UHS in all cases.

Conclusions
Gastric muscularis UHS in dogs may result from natural interfaces between muscularis sublayers or from mild fibrosis. While these ultrasonographic findings are not necessarily indicative of gastrointestinal disease, further research is needed to determine their clinical significance.

Disclaimer: The summary generated in this email was created by an AI large language model. Therefore errors may occur. Reading the article is the best way to understand the scholarly work. The figure presented here remains the property of the publisher or author and subject to the applicable copyright agreement. It is reproduced here as an educational work. If you have any questions or concerns about the work presented here, reply to this email.