FLEXION‐EXTENSION MYELOGRAPHY OF THE CANINE CAUDA EQUINA

Abstract

The radiographic appearance of the canine dural end‐sac and its behavior during flexion and extension of the spine is described in a myelographic study in 22 normal dogs and 26 dogs with cauda equina compression syndrome. In more than 80% of the dogs, the dural sac ended at the level of the sacrum. There were relatively large individual differences in shape and size of the dural end‐sac. In contrast, shape, length, position, and diameter of the dural end‐sac at the level of the lumbosacral articulation is extremely constant during flexion and extension in normal individuals. In the 26 dogs with lesions affecting the cauda equina and nerve roots between L6 and the first caudal vertebra, myelography was diagnostic in 21 dogs. Myelographic diagnosis of cauda equina compression was possible in seven dogs with spine in flexion. In 14 dogs, overextension of the spine and imaging in lateral and dorsal recumbency was necessary to establish a diagnosis. The five dogs with nondiagnostic myelograms had either a dural end‐sac ending cranially to the lesion (two dogs), diseases not associated with compression (two dogs), or only slight indentations of the contrast medium column (one dog).