Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI findings and symptoms in 26 dogs with cervical spine disease
By Murthy, Vishal D et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2014·Department of Clinical Studies, Canada·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in 26 dogs with canine osseous-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 26 dogs with cervical spondylomyelopathy (a spinal condition) underwent MRI scans to check for spinal cord compression and other changes. Many of the dogs, especially giant breeds, showed signs of compression in their spines and had similar clinical scores, indicating they experienced similar symptoms. However, the study found no clear link between the MRI findings and the severity of their symptoms. This suggests that more detailed assessments may be needed to understand how these changes affect dogs.
People also search for: dog cervical spondylomyelopathy symptoms · MRI for dog spine problems · giant breed dog spinal issues
Abstract
The potential link between degenerative changes seen on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in osseous-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (OA-CSM) and clinical signs has not been explored. Our goal was to retrospectively evaluate MRI findings, while investigating potential correlations between these changes, signalment, and clinical signs. Twenty-six dogs diagnosed with OA-CSM were included in the study. Clinical signs were converted into a Modified Frankel Score (MFS) and MRI findings were assessed and graded. Giant breeds had multiple compressed sites and presented at a younger age than large breeds, suggesting a different underlying pathophysiology. Spinal cord compression, most commonly bilateral, was present in 36.8% of intervertebral spaces. Synovial fluid loss and articular process sclerosis were the most common degenerative changes. Most dogs showed identical MFS scores, and no significant correlations were found between MFS and MRI changes. More detailed functional scales should be used to investigate this in the future.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24489397/