RELATIONSHIP OF PANCREATIC DUCT DILATION TO AGE AND CLINICAL FINDINGS IN CATS

Dilation of the pancreatic duct has been described as an ultrasonographic feature of pancreatitis in cats. The purpose of this study was to determine normal pancreatic duct width in healthy older cats and assess the significance of pancreatic duct dilation observed in a clinical population. In a prospective study, pancreatic ultrasound was performed in 15 healthy cats (mean age 13±3 years). Mean pancreatic width of left lobe, body, and right lobe was 0.65±0.16 cm (0.46-1.03 cm), 0.64±0.14 cm (0.46-0.9 cm), and 0.43±0.09 cm (0.3-0.57 cm), respectively. Mean pancreatic duct width was 0.13±0.04 cm (0.06-0.24 cm), which was significantly larger than previously reported for younger cats (0.08±0.025 cm) (P