Evaluation of Potential Antemortem Diagnosis of Psittacine Atherosclerosis
Hugues Beaufrère, DVM, PhD, DACZM, DABVP (Avian), Dip ECZM (Avian)
The technique (micro-Positron Emission Tomography (μPET) scan) is a research technique to be able to visualize microcalcification in atherosclerosis lesions antemortem in parrots. The plan is to develop the technique to then use it to test the diagnostic usefulness of other imaging techniques (such as CT-scan and standard radiographs), to evaluate risk factors (such as blood lipids) and to test treatments (such as statins). At present, atherosclerosis is very hard to diagnose antemortem without having either very severe lesions or having a necropsy.
While PET-scan as a diagnostic tool is not widely available, CT- scan and radiographs are, and many avian practitioners use those to assess the arteries of parrots. Likewise, avian practitioners use blood lipoprotein testing and prescribe statins for the treatment of atherosclerotic diseases or related disorders. Results obtained from studies using molecular imaging such as PET-scanning to investigate the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of atherosclerosis would directly be usable by practitioners. Examples include expanding our knowledge on the sensitivity of standard CT-scan or whole-body radiographs for diagnosing atherosclerosis and lipoprotein abnormalities associated with these lesions.
