Computed Tomography-Guided Radiofrequency Ablation of Nasal Carcinomas in Dogs
by
, , , ,
María Dolores Alférez
1, 
Andrea Corda
2,*
,
Ignacio de Blas
3,
Lucas Gago
4,
Telmo Fernandes
5,
Ignacio Rodríguez-Piza
6,
Beatriz Balañá
7,
Plamena Pentcheva
2
,
Javier Caruncho
8,
Alicia Barbero-Fernández
9,
Jorge Llinás
10,
David Rivas
7,
Amaia Escudero
7 and
Pablo Gómez-Ochoa
1,3 1
VetCorner Unavets, 50012 Zaragoza, Spain
2
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
3
Department of Animal Pathology, University of Zaragoza, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
4
Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
5
Imaginologia Veterinaria do Porto, 4490-479 Porto, Portugal
6
Anicura Glòries Hospital Veterinari, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
7
Hospital Anicura Aralar Veterinarios, 50410 Zaragoza, Spain
8
Arealonga Veterinary Clinic, 15190 A Coruña, Spain
9
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, European University, 28670 Madrid, Spain
10
Hospital Anicura Valencia Sur, 46460 Valencia, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2024, 14(24), 3682; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14243682
Submission received: 26 November 2024
/
Revised: 14 December 2024
/
Accepted: 18 December 2024
/
Published: 20 December 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Veterinary Clinical Studies)
Simple Summary
Nasal carcinomas in dogs are aggressive tumors that are challenging to treat due to their location. This study investigates the use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA), a minimally invasive technique, to manage these tumors. Fifteen dogs were treated, and the results showed a significant reduction in tumor size and improvement in clinical signs like nasal discharge and breathing difficulties. The procedure was safe, with no major complications, and follow-up imaging confirmed its effectiveness. RFA can be considered a viable alternative treatment for nasal carcinoma in dogs when radiation therapy or surgery is not possible.
Abstract
Nasal carcinomas in dogs are locally invasive neoplasms with a low metastatic rate that pose significant treatment challenges due to their location and aggressiveness. This study evaluates the safety, feasibility, and therapeutic outcomes of computed tomography-guided radiofrequency ablation (CT-guided RFA) in 15 dogs diagnosed with nasal adenocarcinoma. All patients underwent staging and histopathological diagnosis before treatment. CT-guided RFA achieved a significant tumor volume reduction (82.8%) and improvement in clinical signs such as nasal discharge, epistaxis, and respiratory distress, without complications. Post-RFA CT examinations demonstrated a significant decrease in Hounsfield units and tumor volume. This study has shown that CT-guided RFA is an effective cytoreductive option for minimally invasive management of nasal adenocarcinomas in dogs, particularly when traditional therapies like radiation therapy or surgery are not feasible.
