QUARTERLY BEAT
JULY 2026
WEBINAR HIGHLIGHTS
What happens when the ultrasound probe says, “There’s something there,” and now you need to collect cells to tell the whole story? In Part 1 of this 2-part VETgirl article series based on his February 24, 2026 webinar, To Poke or Not to Poke: Ultrasound Guided Needle Sampling of Abdominal Organs Dr. Marc Seitz, DACVR, DABVP (Canine and Feline Practice), reviews the practical foundations of ultrasound-guided abdominal fine-needle aspiration, including patient preparation, equipment selection, sampling technique, and key safety considerations to help improve diagnostic yield while minimizing complications. Missed the webinar? Check it out HERE on-demand! TO POKE OR NOT TO POKE: ULTRASOUND GUIDED NEEDLE SAMPLING OF ABDOMINAL ORGANS (PART 1) Dr. Marc Seitz, DACVR, DABVP (Canine and Feline Practice)
. INTRODUCTION
Ultrasonographic changes to abdominal viscera are often non-specific and necessitate tissue sampling. Some tissues may appear normal on ultrasound despite the presence of focal or diffuse disease. Fine needle aspirates are a clinically useful, minimally invasive means of achieving a definitive or categorical diagnosis. This session will focus on updates in the literature that will help clinicians hone their technique to maximize diagnostic yield and minimize complications. Organ specific considerations will be reviewed next in Part 2. Some knowledge and experience performing ultrasound-guided needle procedures is recommended.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Figure 1. Abdomen prepped for ultrasound-guided FNA. Photo courtesy of Tom Thompson, MSU-CVM photographer.
Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirates typically follow a complete diagnostic ultrasound, or similar evaluation with some other imaging modality. Ultrasound confers a significant advantage over blind techniques in that it ensures accurate needle placement, increasing diagnostic yield while minimizing complications. Although general anesthesia is rarely needed, patients should be adequately sedated to minimize patient movement and provide some form of analgesia. The author commonly uses dexmedetomidine with butorphanol, alfaxalone, or propofol in healthy patients. For debilitated patients, midazolam with butorphanol works well. Other drug combinations are appropriate, but agents that induce panting, ileus, or significant splenic enlargement are less ideal. While some sources (Launay 2023) describe performing the technique without sedation, this is not recommended by the author due to each patient having a unique response to pain and the increased risk for complications and lower diagnostic yield that comes with patient movement.
The skin should already be clipped of fur from the ultrasound exam, wiped free of external gross debris, and sterilely prepped (Figure 1.). Care must be taken to remove all ultrasound gel (even if sterile) as it can interfere with cytologic interpretation by causing cell swelling or
lysis and by mimicking necrotic material or mast cell granules. Although virtually any transducer may be used, microconvex probes are most common (Figure 2.). The author prefers a linear probe for superficially located or smaller lesions due to its superior spatial resolution, especially in the near field.
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