{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T22:57:54Z","timestamp":1768863474693,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":22,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]],"date-time":"2026-01-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768608000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Abdominal radiography is commonly used as an initial diagnostic tool in dogs and cats with gastrointestinal (GI) signs. Historically, abdominal radiographs were considered unreliable for detecting GI masses, with detection rates below 50%. The purpose of this retrospective, case\u2013control study was to determine the accuracy of abdominal radiographs in identifying the presence and location of GI masses and to assess the influence of the reviewer experience. Radiographs from 114 dogs and 111 cats were reviewed by two board-certified radiologists, one first year radiology resident, and one rotating intern. Patients were categorized into three groups: animals with a GI mass greater than 2 cm (dogs n = 44; cats n = 41), animals with a normal abdomen (both n = 50), and animals with abdominal disease but no GI mass (both n = 20). Reviewers demonstrated high specificity but low sensitivity for both detection and localization of GI masses. Sensitivity for detecting a mass ranged from 34 to 64% in dogs and 36 to 71% in cats; specificity exceeded 87% in dogs and 92% in cats. Sensitivity for location identification ranged from 9 to 58% in dogs and 21 to 68% in cats; specificity exceeded 76% in dogs and 81% in cats. No statistically significant differences in detection rates were found among reviewers. The accuracy of plain digital radiography for the detection of gastrointestinal masses in dogs (75%) and cats (81%) is better than previously reported film radiography but remains inferior to other imaging modalities. However, its high specificity supports its clinical utility in ruling out gastrointestinal masses.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16020292","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T09:57:02Z","timestamp":1768816622000},"page":"292","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Accuracy of Plain Digital Radiography for the Detection of Gastrointestinal Masses in Dogs and Cats"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Keaton","family":"Cortez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Sciences Department, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3834-2324","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agustina","family":"Anson","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Sciences Department, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Leslie","family":"Schwarz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Sciences Department, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Nathan","family":"Biedak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Sciences Department, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tatiana","family":"Noel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Sciences Department, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Adam","family":"South","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Sciences Department, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.250.4.424","article-title":"Colonoscopic and histologic features of rectal masses in dogs: 82 cases (1995\u20132012)","volume":"250","author":"Mayhew","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"569","DOI":"10.1024\/0036-7281\/a000652","article-title":"Diagnostic imaging and endoscopic findings in dogs and cats with gastric tumors: A review","volume":"156","author":"Terragni","year":"2014","journal-title":"Schweiz. Arch. Tierheilkd."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"419","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cvsm.2011.02.001","article-title":"Alimentary lymphoma in cats and dogs","volume":"41","author":"Gieger","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Clin. N. Am. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"693","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cvsm.2012.04.006","article-title":"Alimentary neoplasia in geriatric dogs and cats","volume":"42","author":"Willard","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet. Clin. N. Am. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.3844\/ajavsp.2020.89.101","article-title":"Diagnostic imaging of gastrointestinal tumours in dogs and cats: Review","volume":"15","author":"Simeoni","year":"2020","journal-title":"Am. J. Anim. Vet. Sci."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"777","DOI":"10.1016\/S0195-5616(98)50078-2","article-title":"Characterization of gastrointestinal tumors","volume":"28","author":"Penninck","year":"1998","journal-title":"Vet. Clin. N. Am. Small Anim. Pract."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"760","article-title":"Single-contrast barium technique and air-contrast technique in examination of the gastrointestinal tract","volume":"5","author":"Hayes","year":"1978","journal-title":"N. Y. State J. Med."},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"533","article-title":"Nonlymphoid intestinal neoplasia in 32 dogs and 14 cats","volume":"22","author":"Birchard","year":"1986","journal-title":"J. Am. Anim. Hosp. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"248","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1740-8261.2010.01791.x","article-title":"Comparison of radiography and ultrasonography for diagnosing small intestinal mechanical obstruction in vomiting dogs","volume":"52","author":"Sharma","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1007\/s002619900058","article-title":"Current status of small bowel radiography","volume":"21","author":"Maglinte","year":"1996","journal-title":"Abdom. Imaging"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"363","DOI":"10.1007\/BF01948152","article-title":"Diagnostic sensitivity of X-ray examination of the large bowel in colorectal cancer","volume":"8","author":"Brekkan","year":"1983","journal-title":"Gastrointest. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1273","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rcl.2017.06.008","article-title":"Imaging and screening of cancer of the small bowel","volume":"55","author":"Kim","year":"2017","journal-title":"Radiol. Clin. N. Am."},{"key":"ref_13","unstructured":"Thrall, D.E., and Widmer, W.R. (2018). Textbook of Veterinary Diagnostic Radiology, Saunders. [7th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1016\/j.sapharm.2012.04.004","article-title":"Interrater agreement and interrater reliability: Key concepts, approaches, and applications","volume":"9","author":"Gisev","year":"2013","journal-title":"Res. Soc. Adm. Pharm."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"998","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.238.8.998","article-title":"Intra- and interobserver variability of pulmonary nodule detection on digital thoracic radiographs of dogs","volume":"238","author":"Reese","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Am. Vet. Med. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Holland, M., and Hudson, J.A. (2020). Feline Diagnostic Imaging, John Wiley & Sons.","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118840931"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Head, K.W., Cullen, J.M., Dubielzig, R.R., Else, R.W., Misdorp, W., Patnaik, A.K., Tateyama, S., and Van der Gaag, I. (2003). Histological Classification of Tumors of the Alimentary System of Domestic Animals, World Health Organization\/AFIP.","DOI":"10.1002\/9780470376928.ch8"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"432","DOI":"10.1111\/vru.12253","article-title":"Ultrasonographic features of canine gastrointestinal stromal tumors compared to other spindle cell tumors","volume":"56","author":"Hobbs","year":"2015","journal-title":"Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound"},{"key":"ref_19","unstructured":"Penninck, D., and d\u2019Anjou, M.-A. (2025). Atlas of Small Animal Ultrasonography, John Wiley & Sons. [3rd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1740-8261.2000.tb01489.x","article-title":"Ultrasonographic appearance and clinical findings in 14 dogs with gallbladder mucocele","volume":"41","author":"Besso","year":"2000","journal-title":"Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"562","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1740-8261.2002.tb01050.x","article-title":"Ultrasonographic and clinicopathologic findings in 21 dogs with intestinal adenocarcinoma","volume":"43","author":"Paolini","year":"2002","journal-title":"Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound"},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"391","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1740-8261.1994.tb02059.x","article-title":"Ultrasonographic diagnosis of gastrointestinal smooth muscle tumors in the dog","volume":"35","author":"Myers","year":"1994","journal-title":"Vet. Radiol. Ultrasound"}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/2\/292\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T10:14:34Z","timestamp":1768817674000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/16\/2\/292"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]]},"references-count":22,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1]]}},"alternative-id":["ani16020292"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani16020292","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,17]]}}}