Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
CSF and MRI tests that predict relapse in dogs with brain inflammation
By Spohn, Franziska et al.·Published in Frontiers in veterinary science·2026·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Germany·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Cerebrospinal fluid markers and magnetic resonance imaging lesion volume predicting relapse in canine meningoencephalitis of unknown origin.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 35 dogs diagnosed with meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO), a serious neurological condition, were monitored to see what factors might predict a relapse. The researchers found that higher levels of albumin and lymphocytes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during follow-up exams were linked to a higher chance of relapse. While MRI scans showed changes in brain lesions after treatment, they were not reliable for predicting future relapses. The study suggests that monitoring CSF levels can help veterinarians assess the risk of relapse in dogs with this condition.
People also search for: dog meningoencephalitis symptoms · dog CSF test results · predicting relapse in dog neurological disease
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) is a potentially lethal neurological disease in dogs with a high relapse rate. Prognostic factors for relapse based on neurological examination, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination are inconsistently reported. METHODS: This retrospective single center study included 35 dogs with MUO. Brain MRI, CSF findings, clinical signs at diagnosis and during follow-up MRI (routine or relapse-related) were analyzed. Lesion volumes were calculated using the Cavalieri method. Relapse predictors were evaluated for routine follow- up MRI examinations using logistic regression and ROC/AUC. RESULT: Only higher CSF albumin (= 0.0413) and lymphocyte proportion (= 0.0288) at routine follow-up examination were predictive of future relapse. ROC analyses identified thresholds of 9.64 mg/dl for CSF albumin (AUC: 0.75; sensitivity 86.7%, specificity 61.1%) and 74.0% for CSF lymphocytes (AUC 0.76; sensitivity 66.7%, specificity 64.3%). Total lesion volume and volume of contrast-enhancing lesions decreased after treatment and increased again at relapse. Increased lesion volume or normal MRI on routine follow-up MRI did not reliably predict future relapse, although increased lesion volume in T1-weighted contrast enhancement and Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) was observed at or after relapse. Lesion volume, lesion number, and lesion localization in different sequences was associated with neurodisability scale (NDS) and epileptic seizures. DISCUSSION: In this study, CSF albumin and lymphocyte proportion were identified as predictors of future relapse. Routine follow-up MRI was not predictive of future relapse, but useful for detection of an active inflammation.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41743563/