Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
German shepherd dog with elbow pain diagnosed by MRI as incomplete
By Gabriel, P et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2009·Department of Small Animal Medicine, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis: incomplete ossification of the humeral condyle in a German shepherd dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A male German shepherd was brought in for recurring lameness and pain in his left front leg. Routine X-rays didn’t show any issues, but further imaging with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a defect in the humeral condyle, a part of the elbow joint. Despite this finding, an arthroscopy (a procedure to look inside the joint) showed no significant damage to the cartilage. The MRI helped identify the problem, which might be missed with standard X-rays, allowing for better treatment options.
People also search for: German shepherd lameness · dog elbow pain MRI · incomplete ossification treatment
Abstract
Clinical signs, radiological, arthroscopic findings and magnetic resonance imaging features of a male German shepherd dog with incomplete ossification of the humeral condyle are described. The dog showed recurrent left forelimb lameness and pain on elbow palpation. In routine radiographs, the lesion was obscured. In oblique radiographs, a radiolucent line was detected, and magnetic resonance imaging clearly demonstrated a defect in the humeral condyle. However, arthroscopy showed no changes or discontinuity of the humeral cartilage. Incomplete ossification of the humeral condyle may be underrepresented in conventional, routine studies because if there is concurrent additional elbow pathology (for example fragmented coronoid process), treatment may lead to clinical improvement and further diagnostic techniques may not be performed. The benefit of magnetic resonance imaging in this case is demonstrated.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19037888/