COMPARISON BETWEEN COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC AND SURGICAL FINDINGS IN NINE LARGE-BREED DOGS WITH LUMBOSACRAL STENOSIS |
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| Authors: | eryl C Jones DVM PhD Donald C Sorjonen DVM MS Stephen T Simpson DVM MS Joan R Coates DVM MS Stephen D Lenz DVM PhD John T Hathcock DVM MS Michelle W Agee MD PhD Jan E Bartels DVM MS |
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| Institution: | Departments of Radiology (Jones, Hathcock, Bartels), Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, (Sorjonen, Simpson, Coates) and Pathobiology, (Lenz), College of Veterinary Medicine, Aubum University, Alabama;and from Alabama Imaging, PC, Opelika, Alabama (Agee). |
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| Abstract: | In a three-year prospective study, computed tomographic (CT) and surgical findings were compared for nine large breed dogs with lumbosacral stenosis. Surgically-excised tissue was examined histologically in seven dogs and additional necropsy evaluation was performed in one dog. The CT abnormalities observed at sites of confirmed cauda equina compression were: loss of epidural fat, increased soft tissue opacity, bulging of the intervertebral disc margin, spondylosis, thecal sac displacement, narrowed intervertebral foramen, narrowed vertebral canal, thickened articular process, articular process subluxation, articular process osteophyte, and telescoped sacral lamina. The CT characteristics of lumbosacral degenerative disease and discospondylitis were similar to those described in humans. In three dogs, CT findings at the site of cauda equina compression were consistent with congenital or developmental spinal stenosis, but the method of surgical exposure precluded confirmation. Epidural fibrosis (eight dogs) and multi-level CT abnormalities (six dogs) were identified but the cause(s) and significance were unknown. |
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| Keywords: | CT X-ray dog diseases cauda equina spinal stenosis |
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