Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI shows disc disease patterns in 30 dogs after fat saturation scan
By Freeman, A C et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2012·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Magnetic resonance imaging enhancement of intervertebral disc disease in 30 dogs following chemical fat saturation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 30 dogs with intervertebral disc disease (a condition affecting the spine) underwent advanced MRI scans to better understand their condition. Most of these dogs showed neurological symptoms for about four days, with many experiencing moderate severity of their issues. The MRI revealed different patterns of enhancement in the affected discs, but these patterns did not correlate with the dogs' clinical symptoms or the underlying pathology. This imaging technique proved useful in identifying the condition, but the specific patterns observed did not impact treatment decisions or outcomes.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the patterns of enhancement of extradural intervertebral disc on chemically fat saturated gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance images and to investigate the clinical and pathological associations with enhancement. METHODS: Medical records and magnetic resonance images were reviewed from 30 dogs with histopathologically confirmed disc disease and enhancement on a T1-weighted postcontrast fat saturated sequence. RESULTS: Median duration of neurological signs was 4 days and the most common grade of severity was II, seen in 46·6% of dogs. Homogeneous, heterogeneous and peripheral patterns of disc enhancement were described, with peripheral enhancement most commonly identified (57% of dogs). There were no clinical or pathological differences between the dogs with each of the patterns. The mean signal intensity of a region of interest within the extruded disc material and contrast-to-noise ratio of the disc material were significantly higher on postcontrast T1-weighted fat saturated images (P=<0·0001 each). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The use of fat saturated gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging can detect enhancement of extradural disc material. Patterns of enhancement are not associated with the clinical presentation or pathological features.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22250714/