Post-Mortem Computed Tomography Pulmonary: Findings in small to medium size dolphins stranded in the Canary Islands

Abstract

This study investigates the different diagnostic possibilities offered by PMCT for thoracic pathology in small and medium-sized dolphins, and its use in combination with conventional necropsy, with emphasis on the diagnosis of pulmonary pathologies such as pneumothorax and other associated changes. Fifty-three specimens from cetaceans stranded on the coasts of the Canary Islands were included in this study, and all of them were subjected to both diagnostic techniques. A junior veterinary radiologist performed the PMCT evaluation of the thoracic cavity. These evaluations were then compared with the necropsy reports of each animal. The results showed that PMCT was superior to conventional necropsy in diagnosing and even interpreting pneumothorax and proved to be a useful tool for assessing carcass decomposition, providing an objective evaluation to complement macroscopic findings