Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Tibial tuberosity radiolucencies found in 21.5% of dog knee X-rays
By Paek, Matthew et al.·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association·2013·School of Veterinary Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence, association with stifle conditions, and histopathologic characteristics of tibial tuberosity radiolucencies in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs had a specific type of bone issue called a tibial tuberosity radiolucency, which was found in about 21.5% of the dogs examined. This condition was more common in younger dogs and was linked to a knee problem known as medial patellar luxation, where the kneecap slips out of place. Interestingly, dogs with this radiolucency were less likely to have a torn cranial cruciate ligament, another common knee injury. The study suggests that this bone issue may be caused by leftover cartilage in the area. If your dog has knee problems, it's worth discussing this finding with your veterinarian.
People also search for: dog knee problems · tibial tuberosity radiolucency treatment · medial patellar luxation in dogs · dog knee injury symptoms
Abstract
A tibial tuberosity radiolucency is sometimes identified on lateral radiographs of canine stifle joints, however little is known about the cause or significance. The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence, association with other stifle conditions, and histopathologic characteristics of tibial tuberosity radiolucencies in a group of dogs. Radiographs of all canine stifle joints over 5 years were evaluated. Presence or absence of a tibial tuberosity radiolucency was recorded by an observer who was unaware of clinical status. Patient signalment and presence of other stifle joint conditions were recorded from medical records. A tibial tuberosity radiolucency was found in 145/675 dogs (prevalence = 21.5%). Statistically significant associations were identified between tibial tuberosity radiolucency and stifle condition (P < 0.0001), breed size (P = 0.011), and younger age of presentation (P = 0.001), but not with gender (P = 0.513). Dogs with a tibial tuberosity radiolucency had higher odds of having a medial patellar luxation than dogs without (OR = 9.854, P < 0.0001, 95% CI 6.422-15.120). Dogs with a tibial tuberosity radiolucency had lower odds of having a cranial cruciate ligament rupture than dogs without (OR = 0.418, P < 0.0001, 95% CI 0.287-0.609). Four canine cadavers, two with normal stifles and two with tibial tuberosity radiolucencies, underwent radiographic, computed tomographic, and histologic examination of the stifles. Computed tomography revealed a hypoattenuating cortical defect in the lateral aspect of the proximal tibial tuberosity that corresponded histopathologically to a hyaline cartilage core. Findings indicated that the tibial tuberosity radiolucency may be due to a retained cartilage core and associated with medial patellar luxation in dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23662944/