Ultrasonographic Features of Feline Bulbourethral Glands

Ten sexually mature, clinically healthy male European shorthair cats aged 1−2 years were studied. The bulbourethral glands were examined after preliminary anaesthesia and catheterisation of the urethra. A perineal sonographic approach was used on a CHISON 600 VET equipment and multifrequency microconvex C20605 probe with a working frequency of 7 MHz. The musculoskeleal periphery of the gland was visualized as hyperechoic vs the parenchyma, uniform in both aspects (sagittal and transversal), and glands were depicted with an ovoid shape. In five studied animals, bulbourethral glands were surgically removed after euthanasia and were investigated in a liquid isotonic medium with regard to compare their sonographic features with the normal topography. The analogous results obtained via both methods allowed us to propose the use of perineal ultrasonography as a sufficiently definitive and less invasive method for visualization of feline bulbourethral glands in transversal and sagittal sections