J Vet Sci.  2018 Jul;19(4):543-549. 10.4142/jvs.2018.19.4.543.

Hepatobiliary diseases in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings

• Khalphallah A
• Aref NE
• Abu-Seida
• Elmeligy E
• Bayoumi SA
• Al-lethie
• Salman D

• KMID: 2417570
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2018.19.4.543

Abstract

This study describes ultrasonographic observations of five hepatobiliary diseases in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Fifty buffalo, including 20 clinically normal and 30 hepatobiliary diseased buffalo were enrolled in the study. Complete clinical, radiographic and ultrasonographic examinations and laboratory analyses were conducted. Focal parenchymal lesions including liver abscess (n = 12) and hepatic cyst (n = 6), diffuse parenchymal lesion (hepatobiliary cirrhosis, n = 5) and obstruction of hepatobiliary passages including cholestasis (n = 4), and hepatocholelithiasis (n = 3) were successfully imaged by ultrasonography. Hepatic abscess imaged as a hypoechoic to echogenic circumscribed mass of various diameters with a distinct echogenic capsule. Hepatic cyst imaged as a pear-shaped sac with a bright echogenic margin, anechoic content, and distal acoustic enhancement. In hepatobiliary fibrosis, the liver showed linear bands of increasing echogenicity with less distinct imaging of the portal vasculature. Cholestasis was imaged as dilatation of the gallbladder (GB) with wall thickening and homogeneous or heterogeneous contents. Hepatocholelithiasis imaged as an echoic structure within the hepatic parenchyma, or within and around the GB and bile duct, with more echogenicity of the hepatic parenchyma than normal. Ultrasonography can be an efficient rapid, noninvasive tool for screening of common hepatobiliary diseases in buffalo under field conditions.

Keyword

buffaloes; diseases; liver; ultrasongoraphy

MeSH Terms

Acoustics
Bile Ducts
Buffaloes*
Cholestasis
Dilatation
Fibrosis
Gallbladder
Liver
Liver Abscess
Mass Screening
Ultrasonography

Figure

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  Fig. 1 (A) A buffalo heifer with traumatic reticuloperitonitis and hepatic abscess and stunted growth. (B) Lateral radiograph of the cranial abdomen and caudal thorax of a 5-year-old non-pregnant buffalo with traumatic pericarditis showing a nail passing from the reticulum and penetrating the heart. a, heart; b, reticulum; c, diaphragm; d, nail; e, loss of heart details.

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  Fig. 2 Ultrasonograms of 1-year-old buffalo heifer (left) and 1-year-old buffalo bull (right) showing liver (b) with hepatic abscess (c) when imaged from the right 9th, 10th, and 11th intercostal space (ICS). Right abdominal wall (a). Liver abscess was imaged as well a distinct echogenic capsule and hypoechoic lumen. An echogenic clear tract (d) was imaged within the hepatic tissue with accumulation of echogenic deposits around the gallbladder and the abscess. The abscess formed a thick layer of echogenic deposits around the cystic duct as pericholecystic hyperechogenic material (e). R, right; Cr, cranial; Cd, caudal.

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  Fig. 3 Ultrasonogram in a 1-year-old non-pregnant buffalo heifer showing liver (b) with hepatic cyst (c) in an image from the right 11th intercostal space (ICS). Right abdominal wall (a). The cyst appears as a pear-shaped structure (black cyst) with bright echogenic margin and a well-defined thin wall located caudoventral to the liver and causing distal acoustic enhancement (d). R, right; Cr, cranial; Cd, caudal.

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  Fig. 4 Ultrasonogram in 2.5, 3, and 4-year-old buffalo bulls obtained at the right 11th and 12th intercostal space (ICS). Right abdominal wall (a). Image shows liver (b) fibrosis/cirrhosis and visualization of linear bands of increasing echogenicity (c) with less distinct visualization of the hepatic and portal vasculatures. Image shows multiple hyperechogenic foci (e) within the hepatic parenchyma with anechoic nodules (d) indicating the heterogeneous nature of the hepatic parenchyma. Reduced lumens of both of caudal vena cava (f) and hepatic vein (g) with accumulation of fibrinous echogenic deposits around the vein are present. Gallbladder (h) and cranial duodenum (i) are also visible. R, right; Cr, cranial; Cd, caudal.

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  Fig. 5 Ultrasonogram in a 1-year-old buffalo heifer with liver cirrhosis and dilated loops of the cranial duodenum. Images from the right 10th and 11th intercostal space (ICS). Right abdominal wall (a). Multiple hyperechogenic foci (b) located within the hepatic parenchyma with anechoic nodules (c) with a heterogeneous hepatic parenchyma and less distinct visualization of the hepatic and portal vasculatures. Reduced lumens of both of caudal vena cava (d) and hepatic vein with presence of accumulated fibrinous echogenic deposits around the vein. The dilated loop of the cranial part of the duodenum (6.2–6.5 cm; e) was intertangled medially to the gallbladder (f) and liver. R, right; Cr, cranial; Cd, caudal.

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  Fig. 6 Ultrasonogram in a 4-year-old non-pregnant buffalo imaged from the right 10th (left) and 12th (right) intercostal spaces (ICSs). Right abdominal wall (a). Image shows healthy liver tissue with normal parenchymal pattern (b) and a dilated gallbladder (cholestasis; c). The dilated gallbladder had a heterogeneous nature with echoic and hypoechoic contents (d), thickening in its wall (e) and distal acoustic enhancement (f). R, right; Cr, cranial; Cd, caudal.

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  Fig. 7 Ultrasonogram in a 7-month-old fattening buffalo calf imaged from the right 10th intercostal space (ICS). Right abdominal wall (a). Image shows liver (b) with hepatocholelithiasis, which revealed hyperechogenic masses or deposits scattered (c) within the hepatic tissue along with increased hepatic parenchymal echogenicity when compared with normal parenchymal echogenicity of the liver. R, right; Cr, cranial; Cd, caudal.

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