Ultrasonography is used to evaluate pulmonary mass lesions adjacent to the body wall, diaphragm, or heart, and also consolidated lung lobes. Because air interferes with the sound waves, aerated lungs and structures surrounded by aerated lungs cannot be examined. The consistency of lesions often can be determined to be solid, cystic, or fluid filled. Some solid masses are hypolucent and appear to be cystic on ultrasonograms. Vascular structures may be visible, particularly with Doppler ultrasound, and this can be helpful in identifying lung lobe torsion. Ultrasonography can also be used to guide biopsy instruments into solid masses for specimen collection. It is also used for evaluating the heart in animals with clinical signs that cannot be readily localized to either the cardiac or respiratory systems.
Nuclear imaging can be used for the relatively noninvasive measurement of pulmonary perfusion and ventilation. Restrictions for handling radioisotopes and the need for specialized recording equipment limit the availability of these tools to specialty centers though.
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