December 2018 COTM – Bladder Mass: Surgical or Not?

Bladder Mass: Surgical or Not?

Defining surgical resectability of a bladder mass

Presented with clinical signs of a UTI or worse? 
Schedule an ultrasound earlier rather than later especially if non responsive to a first round of treatment.

When you see a mass, think:
Is it resectable and how do I evaluate for resectability?

We’ve got you covered with key SDEP™ ultrasound positions 1-3!

• Long axis fan, short axis fan, Doppler of the mass, long and short axis of the cysto-urethral junction, and a long urethra into the pelvis.
• We recommend at least 4cm if not more, to fully evaluate for any masses further down the road and avoid surprises later.
• Decrease your depth to eliminate wasted space under the bladder, bring out that linear probe and focus on the ureters to look for possible ureteral invasion (see our Case of the Month July 2018).

Don’t be tempted to only assess the primary issue – always do a full abdominal scan, so as not to miss other pathology such as the liver masses in this case. These brilliant images are by one of SonoPath’s own Diane McFadden, RVT, SDEP™ Certified Clinical Sonographer, Director of Mobile Operations and Education. Special thanks to Dr Lee, Dr Logan and the staff at Mount Olive Veterinary Hospital for their management of this case in providing an answer and options for the owners.