Histopathological and b-mode ultrasound characteristics in a primary canine duodenal adenocarcinoma - case report

Lower gastrointestinal tract neoplasms are rare in domestic animals, representing 3% of all biopsies and necropsies. Our objective is to describe the histopathological and B-mode ultrasound findings in a case of duodenal adenocarcinoma in a dog, since it commonly occurs in the large intestine. On ultrasound examination, there was transmural wall thickening in the duodenum with loss of layer structure, focal peritonitis and adenopathy. Histopathological examination of the intestinal mass revealed a malignant epithelial neoplasm, densely cellular and infiltrative, extending through the lamina propria, submucosa, muscle and hypodermis, characterizing a duodenal adenocarcinoma. We conclude that adenocarcinomas may be included in the differential diagnosis of transmural lesions in the duodenum in B-mode ultrasound examinations, but a laparotomy and biopsy are required for definitive diagnosis.