Echocardiographic and Ultrasonographic Observations in a Horse with Mitral Regurgitation and “Intrahepatic Cholangiocellular Fibroadenomatosis”

A 4-year-old Arabian mare, which had the mitral regurgitation with atrial fibrillation and the chronic hepatic dysfunction, was examined by ultrasound imaging. M-mode and two-dimensional (linear scan) echocardiography revealed the mitral valve thickening and prolapse, the B-B' step formation on the M-mode mitral valve echogram, the dilatation of four cardiac chambers, and hyperkinetics of ventricular walls. Contrast echocardiography demonstrated the secondary tricuspid regurgitation. On the M-mode phonoechocardiogram, the third heart sound coincided in time with the points of inflexion (check points) of ventricular walls. Abdominal sonographic examination demonstrated hepatic enlargement and congestion with the dull edge and dilated hepatic vein, and the bloody ascites with fine echoes. Hepatic fibrotic lesions caused by “intrahepatic cholangiocellular fibroadenomatosis” were imaged as a high echo amplitude area with the wave-like surface of the liver. Histogram analysis was also conducted.