Two dimensional echocardiography for diagnosis of dirofilariasis in nine dogs
Abstract
Two-dimensional echocardiography (real-time ultrasonography) of the heart was used to detect adult Dirofilaria immitis in the right ventricle and atrium of a 2-year-old Labrador Retriever with occult heartworm disease and in 8 microfilaremic dogs. Adult worms were easily identified as parallel echogenic lines separated by a hypoechoic region. Images of worms fixed in formalin after recovery from dogs with experimentally induced heartworm infection had an identical appearance. The sensitivity of this imaging procedure was tested on the 8 dogs with naturally acquired infection, and worms were observed in the right ventricle of 7 of the dogs. Two-dimensional echocardiography appears to be a sensitive noninvasive procedure, which can be used in combination with thoracic radiography and serotests to improve accuracy of diagnosis of canine occult heartworm disease.
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Echocardiography visualizes parasites as two parallel hyperechoic lines in main pulmonary artery, left and right interlobe branches, or right heart atrium and ventricle.
“Using echocardiography, clinicians can visualize parasites, which are seen as two parallel hyperechoic lines in the main pulmonary artery, left and right interlobe branches, or right heart atrium and ventricle (26,276).”
From Human and animal dirofilariasis: The emergence of a zoonotic mosaic (2012) · cites this paper as [26]
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Human and animal dirofilariasis: The emergence of a zoonotic mosaic
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“Using echocardiography, clinicians can visualize parasites, which are seen as two parallel hyperechoic lines in the main pulmonary artery, left and right interlobe branches, or right heart atrium and ventricle (26, 276).”
BackgroundChapter 4 Heartworm Disease in Animals and Humans
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Venco, L., Marchesotti, F., & Manzocchi, S. (2015) · Journal of Veterinary Cardiology · doi:10.1016/j.jvc.2015.08.004 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
“5).(39) Sometimes, dead heartworms can be recognized by collapse of the parallel sides of the body wall.”
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“The double-lined appearance results from the echogenicity of the body wall of the parasite.(11) There are several reports of identification of heartworms in cats, often with caval syndrome, by echocardiographic examination.”
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Herzwurmerkrankung beim Hund: Leitfaden für die echokardiografische Untersuchung
Teipel, A., & März, I. (2026) · kleintier konkret · doi:10.1055/a-2854-5308
- Authors
- Badertscher, R. R., Losonsky, J. M., Paul, A. J., & Kneller, S. K.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
- Venue
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Published
- 1988-10-01
- Volume
- 193
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 843-846
- ISSN
- 0003-1488 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W4407213631
- Cited by
- 31
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 0.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › Parasitic Diseases Research and Treatment
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Helminth infection and control
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Research on Leishmaniasis Studies
- Keywords
- canine heartworm disease, Dirofilaria immitis, two-dimensional echocardiography, right ventricle, right atrium, diagnostic sensitivity, microfilaremia, non-invasive diagnosis, Labrador Retriever
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Dirofilariasis, Dog Diseases, Dogs, Echocardiography, Male, Radiography
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