Objective: To conduct signature analysis for splenic trauma in canines during hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation by contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS).
Methods: Forty grade III-IV traumatic splenic lesions were established in 15 mongrel dogs. Hemorrhagic shock was induced in these animals by using the modified Wiggers's method. Animals in shock were then resuscitated with 6% hydroxyethyl starch. The features of splenic trauma during hemorrhagic shock or resuscitation were assessed by CEUS, which were compared with the data collected by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT). Acoustic quantification of CEUS was performed to assess splenic blood perfusion in different stages.
Results: There was no significant difference in detection rate between CEUS and CECT during hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation. Before hemorrhagic shock, there were 40 traumatic bleeding lesions and 85% of them were revealed by CEUS (34/40). With the progress in shock, CEUS revealed that the numbers of tiny branches of splenic arteries were decreased, which became thinner with no active bleeding. After fluid resuscitation, rebleeding was occurred in 30 traumatic lesions, and 28 (93.3%) of them were captured by CEUS. CEUS could also visualize the changes in splenic perfusion in different stages. During the shock, the arrival time (AT), time to peak intensity (TTP), peak intensity (PI) were significantly lower and the washout time (WT) were significantly higher than those at other stages (P<0.01).
Conclusion: CEUS not only can dynamically monitor the changes in spleen traumatic hemorrhage and recurrent hemorrhage, but also can quantitatively study the changes in spleen blood perfusion in different stages.