Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI scans of dog lower spine in different positions for surgery
By Baldo Clemot, Irenka et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2026·Neurology Department, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral spine in neutral and flexed position for presurgical assessment of clinically affected dogs with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old Labrador with back pain and difficulty walking was diagnosed with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLSS), a condition affecting the lower spine. To assess the severity of his condition before surgery, veterinarians performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in both neutral and flexed positions. They found that the dog's spinal issues improved significantly when he was in a flexed position, showing less disc protrusion and no compression of the spinal nerves. This suggests that some surgical procedures may not be necessary if the dog responds well to certain stabilization techniques.
People also search for: dog back pain treatment · degenerative lumbosacral stenosis in dogs · MRI for dog spine issues
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare diagnostic findings in neutral and flexed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbosacral joint (LSJ) performed for presurgical assessment in dogs with clinically suspected, diagnostically confirmed degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLSS), and to assess if these findings support the need for decompressive dorsal laminectomy/partial discectomy and/or foraminotomy in combination with distraction-stabilization techniques. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, comparative study. ANIMALS: A total of 24 dogs with clinically suspected, MRI-confirmed DLSS that underwent dynamic LSJ imaging. METHODS: Medical records and MRI findings of included cases from three referral hospitals were reviewed. Quantitative and qualitative assessments of the LSJ (LSJ angle, protrusion ratios, degree of intervertebral disc [IVD] protrusion, ventral bulging of the ligamentum flavum [VBLF], foraminal compression) were compared in neutral and flexed positions. Their correlations with the degree of IVD degeneration or spondylosis was evaluated. Interindividual agreement was assessed among three observers. RESULTS: Degree of IVD protrusion, foraminal stenosis, VBLF, and protrusion ratios, were significantly reduced in flexion compared with neutral position (p < .001 for all comparisons). No dogs had persistent compression of the cauda equina or completely occluded foramina in flexion. The response of IVD protrusion to flexion was significantly directly correlated to the degree of IVD degeneration (p = .004), but not of spondylosis. CONCLUSION: In flexed position, IVD protrusions, VBLF and foraminal stenoses improved in all cases, with resolution of all compression sites. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: With LSJ distraction-stabilization techniques, the need for concurrent decompressive dorsal laminectomy/partial discectomy or foraminotomy should be questioned, unless performed for IVD-spacer placement. Surgical case-control studies are required to investigate this further.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40631664/