YTCAF GRANTS SUPPORT --- 2005 - 2006

YTCA Foundation's CHF Grant Funding

CHF GRANT ACORN 607-A --- $5,000

University of Tennessee --- 2005-06

Transplenic Portal Scinitigraphy (TSPS) as a Minimally Invasive Technique Under Light Sedation to Clearly Delineate the Portal System

AKC CHF GRANT ACORN 607-A

Transplenic Portal Scinitigraphy (TSPS) as a Minimally Invasive Technique under Light Sedation
to Clearly Delineate the Portal System

Karen Tobias, DVM and Patricia A. Sura, DVM – Principal Investogators

University of Tennessee

 This grant has been completed.  The report from the investigators is as follows:

This prospective study performed at the University of Tennessee was designed to compare two different scintigraphic methods for the diagnosis of portosystemic shunts (PSS) in dogs.  PSS are abnormal blood vessels that allow blood to circulate through the body without being detoxified by the liver, resulting in severe clinical signs.

Classically, per-rectal portal scinitigraphy has been performed (PRPS).  This test is very sensitive in detecting whether an animal has a shunt.  However, it does not yield any information regarding the location of the shunt, or whether more than one shunt is present.  This information would be extremely helpful for surgical planning, as most dogs with congenital PSS are small or toy breeds that suffer from low blood sugar, low temperatures, and low blood pressure during surgery.  Prior knowledge of shunt location may improve the efficiency of the operative procedure, thereby shortening anesthetic times and resulting in a safer procedure for the patient.

Trans-splenic portal scintigraphy (TSPS) is a technique developed at UY that involves injecting a small amount of radionuclide into the spleen.  Rather than rely on rectal absorption as with PRPS, the nuclide is placed directly into the bloodstream. This results in a much clearer picture of the portal vasculature.  Our results thus far indicate that TSPS is 100% sensitive in diagnosing PSS in dogs.  Data regarding the ability of TSPS to determine shunt number and location is still being analyzed.

An advantage of TSPS over PRPS is that the test required much less radioactive material to perform.  this is safer for the patient, as well as the staff caring for the pet.  Significantly less (P< 0.001) radiation was required to perform TSPS versus PRPS in the patients in this study.

Preliminary conclusions are that TSPS is as sensitive as PRPS for the diagnosis of PSS in dogs, and that TSPS results in a higher quality study than PRPS.  In addition, TSPS required significantly less radioactive materials than PRPS.  Future conclusions regarding the accuracy of TSPS and PRPS for determining shunt number and location are expected.

CHF GRANT 2434 --- $2,600

University of Georgia 2005-06

Recombinant Thyrotropic (TSH):  Standard for the Next Generation of Canine TSH Immunoassays with Improved Sensitivity

Duncan Ferguson, DVM, PhD

AKC CHF GRANT 2434

Recombinant Thyrotropin (TSH):
  Standard for the Next Generation of Canine TSH Immunoassays
with Improved Sensitivity

Duncan Ferguson, DVM, PhD – Principal Investigator