CT myelography of the thoraco-lumbar spine in 8 dogs with degenerative myelopathy

Jones, Jeryl C.; Inzana, Karen D.; Rossmeisl, John H.; Bergman, Robert L.; Wells, Tana; Butler, K. L.

doi:10.4142/jvs.2005.6.4.341

Cited by 14 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Other MRI parameters that could be considered in future MRI evaluations of DM include assessment of spinal cord volume change. Dogs with DM have smaller spinal cords than healthy dogs, 50 and volume metrics could be integrated into the MRI evaluation of the spinal cord to provide a multimodal evaluation of the changes observed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In vivo detection of microstructural spinal cord lesions in dogs with degenerative myelopathy using diffusion tensor imaging

Johnson

Miller

Cheetham

et al. 2020

Veterinary Internal Medicne

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Background: Degenerative myelopathy (DM) in dogs is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that causes white matter spinal cord lesions. These lesions are undetectable on standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), limiting diagnosis and monitoring of the disease. Spinal cord lesions cause disruption to the structural integrity of the axons causing water diffusion to become more random and less anisotropic. These changes are detectable by the technique of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) which is highly sensitive to diffusion alterations secondary to white matter lesion development. Objective: Perform spinal DTI on cohorts of dogs with and without DM to identify if lesions caused by DM will cause a detectable alteration in spinal cord diffusivity that correlates with neurological status. Animals: Thirteen dogs with DM and 13 aged-matched controls. Methods: All animals underwent MRI with DTI of the entire spine. Diffusivity parameters fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were measured at each vertebral level and statistically compared between groups. Results: Dogs with DM had significant decreases in FA within the regions of the spinal cord that had high expected lesion load. Decreases in FA were most significant in dogs with severe forms of the disease and correlated with neurological grade. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Findings suggest that FA has the potential to be a biomarker for spinal cord lesion development in DM and could play an important role in improving diagnosis and monitoring of this condition.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In vivo detection of microstructural spinal cord lesions in dogs with degenerative myelopathy using diffusion tensor imaging

Johnson

Miller

Cheetham

et al. 2020

Veterinary Internal Medicne

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“…A myelographic finding of a diffusely swollen cord has been reported in dogs with ascending myelomalacia (Lu et al., 2002 ). In dogs afflicted with degenerative myelopathy, myelography combined with computed tomography may demonstrate a smaller cord than is seen in normal dogs (Jones et al., 2005 ). However, anatomical differences between dogs of different sizes and breeds may render these findings equivocal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI ) Spinal Cord and Canal Measurements in Normal Dogs

Hecht

Huerta

Reed

2013

Anat. Histol. Embryol.

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The goal of this study was to establish Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reference ranges for spinal measurements in normal dogs. Forty dogs (1–10 kg, 11–20 kg, 21–30 kg, > 30 kg; 10 dogs per category) underwent spinal MRI. Measurements were performed on sagittal T2-W images at the level of the 4th thoracic vertebra (T4), the 9th thoracic vertebra (T9) and the 3rd lumbar vertebra (L3). Spinal canal diameter (mm) ranged from 6.07 ± 0.63 (1–10 kg) to 8.27 ± 1.15 (> 30 kg) at the level of T4; 6.55 ± 0.61 (1–10 kg) to 9.04 ± 1.26 (> 30 kg) at the level of T9; and 6.80 (6.47–7.00; 1–10 kg) to 9.00 (7.90–9.73; > 30 kg) at the level of L3. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in spinal canal diameter between groups. Mean spinal cord diameter (mm) ranged from 4.46 ± 0.51 (11–20 kg) to 4.70 ± 0.35 (1–10 kg) at the level of T4; 4.41 ± 0.50 (> 30 kg) to 4.85 ± 0.57 (1–10 kg) at the level of T9; and 4.52 ± 0.51 (> 30 kg) to 5.14 ± 0.68 (1–10 kg) at the level of L3. There were no significant differences in spinal cord diameter between groups. Spinal cord-to-spinal canal ratio varied significantly, ranging from 0.51 ± 0.08 (> 30 kg at L3) to 0.78 (0.69–0.80; 1–10 kg at T4) (P < 0.05). These findings are important when using MRI to evaluate patients with suspected diffuse spinal cord disease.

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“…Among 16 clinically normal dogs, 12 had disc degeneration, and multiple discs were affected in 11 dogs (da Costa et al 2006), as seen in the present study. As the presence of degenerated IVD was an incidental finding in dogs without clinical signs of spinal cord disease, it was recommended by Jones et al (2005) and da Costa et al (2006) to be careful when attributing clinical importance to these changes. The same was observed in human patients: in MRI images from the cervical regions of 1211 healthy human beings, 87.6% presented disc bulging.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is important to consider this when dealing with dogs with neurological signs compatible with thoracolumbar or lumbosacral syndrome, because there are other disorders to be considered in the differential diagnosis in these spinal cord segments, such as inflammatory and infectious diseases, fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy, degenerative myelopathy, neoplasia and diskospondylitis (De Lahunta et al 2015), even if there are changes in the imaging tests, suggesting IVD degeneration with spinal cord compression. In a study with eight large-breed dogs with clinical diagnoses of degenerative myelopathy, CT myelography was performed, and in all dogs morphologic abnormalities of the spine were observed, including disc protrusions in 21/32 discs examined (Jones et al 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post mortem evaluation of spinal cord and protruded intervertebral discs in dogs without neurological abnormalities

et al. 2018

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The aim of this study was to verify the presence of protrusion of the intervertebral disc (IVD) causing compression of the spinal cord and/or roots of cauda equina in 30 dogs above seven years of age with no evidence of previous neurological abnormalities. After the occurrence of death or euthanasia, a laminectomy was performed from C2 to the sacral vertebra to verify the presence of IVD protrusions. The protruded IVD were macroscopically graded according to the Thompson scale, and the corresponding spinal cord segment was histologically analyzed for nervous tissue compression. Of the 30 dogs, twelve (40%) presented disc protrusion, and of these 12 dogs, seven (58%) presented more than one protruded disc. Disc protrusion was observed in 3.2% (25/780) of all IVD evaluated. Of the six chondrodystrophic dogs, five (83%) presented disc protrusion. Of the 24 nonchondrodystrophic dogs, seven (29%) presented IVD protrusion. The site that showed the highest frequency of protrusion was L4-L5 (6/25) followed by the L6-L7 region (3/25) and C6-C7 (3/25). Only two of the medullary segments evaluated showed histological changes, with presence of focal lymphocytic infiltration and multifocal mild hemorrhage in the gray matter. Under the conditions of this study, 40% of dogs older than seven years old showed IVD protrusions without showing neurological signs, with no abnormality of the nervous tissue in 92% of the evaluated segments. Thus, the protrusion of the IVD in some dogs, can only be a finding of no clinical relevance.

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CT myelography of the thoraco-lumbar spine in 8 dogs with degenerative myelopathy

Cited by 14 publications

References 35 publications

In vivo detection of microstructural spinal cord lesions in dogs with degenerative myelopathy using diffusion tensor imaging

In vivo detection of microstructural spinal cord lesions in dogs with degenerative myelopathy using diffusion tensor imaging

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ( MRI ) Spinal Cord and Canal Measurements in Normal Dogs

Post mortem evaluation of spinal cord and protruded intervertebral discs in dogs without neurological abnormalities

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