This is a false tendon, this cat has several false tendons.
To me the left ventricular wall looks fairly normal. Your septum measurement includes a right ventricular papillary muscle. If you exclude it, the wall thickness will be < 5 mm.
It seems to me that E- and A-waves are approx the same amplitude – which is normal. I would recommend increasing the sweep speed tp be able to differentiated the waves better. And – if you are still unsure, you can simply measure the isovolumetric relaxation time additionally which is about 40-60 ms in a normal cat.
Re false tendons: Maybe, this is not entirely understood so far. I guess I see false tendons in about 95% of Maine Coon cats. I usally describe them as a normal variant unless they cause diastolic dysfunction (you see that on 2D images – if they span the LV from the septum to the free wall at the same level, they can impair diastolic function – in this case I would call them hemodynamic significant). Means, I always check diastolic function when I see them.
3 responses to “Cat cardiomyopathy”
Hi!
This is a false tendon, this cat has several false tendons.
To me the left ventricular wall looks fairly normal. Your septum measurement includes a right ventricular papillary muscle. If you exclude it, the wall thickness will be < 5 mm.
Peter
Thanks Peter, I see what you mean.
Is the mitral inflow indicative of diastolic dysfunction? Are false tendons considered a normal variant?
Hi!
It seems to me that E- and A-waves are approx the same amplitude – which is normal. I would recommend increasing the sweep speed tp be able to differentiated the waves better. And – if you are still unsure, you can simply measure the isovolumetric relaxation time additionally which is about 40-60 ms in a normal cat.
Re false tendons: Maybe, this is not entirely understood so far. I guess I see false tendons in about 95% of Maine Coon cats. I usally describe them as a normal variant unless they cause diastolic dysfunction (you see that on 2D images – if they span the LV from the septum to the free wall at the same level, they can impair diastolic function – in this case I would call them hemodynamic significant). Means, I always check diastolic function when I see them.
Peter