Radiology (X-ray)Radiographic abnormalities develop early in the course of this disease. X-rays of the heart and lungs are the best resources available to assess the severity of the disease and to create a prognosis. Normal changes detected are enlargement of these constructions: pulmonary arteries at the lobes (especially the lower lobes) of the lung, main pulmonary artery, and right side of the heart. Blunting and thickening, usually alongside tortuosity (abnormal twists or turns), of pulmonary arteries, can be noted. Inflammation is often found in the lung tissue, particularly the tissue which encircles the pulmonary blood vessels.Angiography and UltrasonographyThese forms of imaging are rarely utilized in the diagnosis of canine heartworm disease outside referral practices and teaching associations. Angiography is a technique which permits visualization of blood vessels within your system by taking radiographs within minutes after injecting a contrast material (dye) into these blood vessels. In canine heartworm infection, angiography is used to study modifications to the pulmonary blood vessels. Worms may be visualized on the angiogram as filing defects. Ultrasonography (echocardiography) has been used to appraise enlargement of the heart chamber and also to look for the existence of heartworms in the right ventricle or main pulmonary artery.
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