Three-dimensional modeling of a patent ductus arteriosus in a cat.

A left-to-right shunting patent ductus arteriosus was diagnosed in a 13-week-old, 2.5 kg, male, domestic Shorthair cat with a continuous murmur. Echocardiographic abnormalities were identified, including: cardiomegaly, wide and presumably short ductal ampulla, and a large right branch pulmonary artery. When these findings were combined with the small patient size, additional imaging was considered prior to surgical ligation, and computed tomography angiography was preferred over standard angiography to provide multi-dimensional appreciation of the anatomy prior to surgery. The dataset from a computed tomography angiographic study performed prior to surgical ligation was used to create a three-dimensional model of the heart and great vessels. The rendered images accurately depicted the cardiac anatomy in situ, which can be utilized for surgical procedural planning and to enhance visuospatial understanding of the anatomy at all levels of training.