Case of the Month

• Amorphous mineralization in the region of the trigone of the urinary bladder, most likely consistent with a mural urinary bladder mass and most likely consistent with a neoplasia such as a transitional cell carcinoma / urothelial carcinoma.

• Thorax and abdomen otherwise within normal limits.

• No macroscopic lung metastases.

• Consider an abdominal ultrasound to better evaluate the suspected urinary bladder mass, the regional lymph nodes, and the rest of the abdominal organs. Urine analyses, BRAF-Mutation testing, and/or transurethral biopsy or diagnostic traumatic catheterization to be considered as next diagnostic steps.

• An ultrasound of the abdomen revealed an invasive, vascularized, and partially mineralized mural urinary bladder mass in the trigone region. Transurethral biopsy confirmed a transitional cell carcinoma / urothelial carcinoma.

• More about Transitional Cell Carcinoma in Dogs (click on the link).

• Some literature: Effective detection of BRAFV595E mutation in canine urothelial and prostate carcinomas using immunohistochemistry ; Canine Transitional Cell Carcinoma .

Thorax and abdomen in 3 projections of a skeletally mature dog in mild increased body condition.

Part of the front limbs superimposed with the cranial aspect of the thoracic cavity in the lateral projections.

Musculoskeletal structures:

Mild spondylosis deformans at L1-L3 and L4-L6.

Homogeneous fat tissue opaque mass superimposed with a humerus and the manubrium sterni in the left lateral projection, most likely consistent with a lipoma.

Thorax:

Diaphragm delineable. Thoracic volume normal.

Mediastinum, cardiovascular structures, and lung parenchyma within normal limits.

Abdomen:

Peritoneal and retroperitoneal detail maintained.

Liver not extending caudally to the rib cage.

Splenic head in normal position. Splenic tail visible in the ventral aspect of the abdomen and smoothly marginated.

Kidneys within normal limits. Urinary bladder moderately filled and in normal position. Linear ill-defined irregular mineralizations in the region of the urinary bladder neck/trigone. No mass effect in the region of the medial iliac lymph nodes.

Stomach very mildly filled with gas. Small bowel loops very mildly filled with gas and/for heterogeneous ingesta and not distended. Colon filled with gas and formed feces.

Amorphous mineralization in the region of the trigone of the urinary bladder, most likely consistent with a mural urinary bladder mass and most likely consistent with a neoplasia such as a transient cell carcinoma.

Thorax and abdomen otherwise within normal limits.

No macroscopic lung metastases.

Consider an abdominal ultrasound to better evaluate the suspected urinary bladder mass, the regional lymph nodes, and the rest of the abdominal organs. Urine analyses, BRAF-Mutation testing, and eventually diagnostic traumatic catheterization to be considered as next diagnostic steps.