Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI findings of vertebral endplate changes in 75 dogs
By Gendron, Karine et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2012·Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Magnetic resonance imaging characterization of vertebral endplate changes in the dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A review of spinal MRI scans from 75 dogs over seven years found various changes in the vertebral endplates, which are the surfaces of the vertebrae. The most common issue was discospondylitis, an infection of the spine, affecting 29 dogs. Fatty infiltration was also noted, particularly in small breed dogs, and was often found in multiple areas. The study highlighted that certain MRI features could indicate different problems, so careful examination of surrounding structures is important. Treatment options would depend on the specific diagnosis, and many dogs can recover with appropriate care.
People also search for: dog spine infection symptoms · small breed dog fatty infiltration · discospondylitis treatment in dogs
Abstract
Spinal MR images acquired from canine patients over a 7-year period were reviewed for the presence of vertebral endplate changes. Seventy-five dogs with 76 distinct lesions were identified. Presumptive diagnoses fell into five categories: reactive endplate changes (10 dogs/13.2%), discospondylitis (29 dogs/38.2%), vertebral osteochondrosis (7 dogs/9.2%), intravertebral disc herniation (Schmorl's nodes) (4 dogs/5.3%), and fatty infiltration (26 dogs/34.2%). Fatty infiltration occurred significantly more often in small breed dogs (P < 0.001) and tended to be multifocal. The following features were observed in discospondylitis as well as in other nonfatty endplate pathologies: irregular endplates, endplate hyperintensity in T2w or STIR images, reduced endplate signal intensity in T1w SE, variable T1w GRE signal intensity, and endplate contrast enhancement. Overlap between MR characteristics of nonfatty endplate changes should prompt cautious evaluation of adjacent structures.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21992691/