Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI brain scans show damage in young dogs with distemper virus
By Bathen-Noethen, A et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2008·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, Germany·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Magnetic resonance imaging findings in acute canine distemper virus infection.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Five young dogs showing signs of canine distemper virus infection underwent brain scans using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to check for brain damage. The scans revealed areas of damage in three dogs, indicating loss of protective covering around nerve fibers, which matched findings from tissue samples. In four other dogs, the MRI showed changes in the brain without the same type of damage. This suggests that MRI can be a helpful tool for diagnosing brain issues in dogs with distemper. Treatment options would depend on the severity of the infection and symptoms.
People also search for: dog distemper symptoms · canine distemper treatment · MRI for dog brain problems
Abstract
Demyelination is the prominent histopathological hallmark in the acute stage of canine distemper virus infection. Magnetic resonance imaging is an important diagnostic tool in human beings to determine demyelination in the brain, for example in multiple sclerosis. Five young dogs with clinically suspected canine distemper virus infection were subjected to magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations. Hyperintense lesions and loss of contrast between grey and white matter were detected in T2-weighted images in the cerebellum and/or in the brainstem of three dogs, which correlated with demyelination demonstrated in histopathological examination. Furthermore, increased signal intensities in T2-weighted images were seen in the temporal lobe of four dogs with no evidence of demyelination. Magnetic resonance imaging seems to be a sensitive tool for the visualisation of in vivo myelination defects in dogs with acute canine distemper virus infection. Postictal oedema and accumulation of antigen positive cells have to be considered an important differential diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18482329/