Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with left-sided weakness diagnosed with spinal cord tumor on MRI
By Swan, Emily K et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2024·Veterinary Pathology Service, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Clinical presentation and magnetic resonance imaging findings of a spinal cord ganglioglioma in a 7.5-year-old, male, neutered German shepherd dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7.5-year-old male neutered German Shepherd was brought in after showing weakness on the left side for a month. An MRI revealed a growth in the spinal cord that was affecting his movement. Unfortunately, the dog's condition worsened, and he was euthanized. A post-mortem examination showed that he had a rare type of tumor called a ganglioglioma, which is made up of specific brain cells. This case highlights the importance of recognizing unusual spinal cord tumors in dogs.
People also search for: dog weakness on one side · German Shepherd spinal tumor · ganglioglioma in dogs
Abstract
A dog presented with a 1-month history of left-sided hemiparesis. MRI showed a focal, 4-cm-long, symmetrical, ovoid, poorly demarcated intramedullary expansion at C6-C7 that was T2-weighted hyperintense, T1-weighted isointense, and noncontrast enhancing. After clinical progression and euthanasia, pathology revealed a neoplasm composed of astrocytes and dysmorphic neurons, consistent with a ganglioglioma. The diagnosis was confirmed with immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy, which demonstrated electron-dense granules in the perikaryon. Gangliogliomas are rare, benign neoplasms that may present as intramedullary spinal cord neoplasia. This is the first report on the clinical presentation, imaging, and pathology of a canine spinal ganglioglioma.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39161206/