Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI brain scan details in a dog with gliomatosis cerebri
By Sebestyén, Péter et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2025·Department of Small Animals·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Single-Voxel Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Findings at 3 Tesla in a Dog With Gliomatosis Cerebri.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 12-year-old West Highland White Terrier was brought in with worsening neurological symptoms, including confusion and difficulty walking. An MRI showed abnormal brain lesions, and a special test called proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed changes similar to those seen in humans with a brain tumor called gliomatosis cerebri. A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. Unfortunately, the study does not provide information on treatment or the dog's outcome, but it highlights the diagnostic challenges of this condition in dogs.
People also search for: dog brain tumor symptoms · West Highland White Terrier neurological problems · gliomatosis cerebri treatment in dogs
Abstract
Gliomatosis cerebri (GC) represents an antemortem diagnostic challenge in the absence of histopathology. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) features of the disease in humans include elevated myo-inositol (mI)-to-creatine and decreased N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA)-to-creatine ratios. Brain 1H-MRS findings at 3 Tesla (3 T) field strength in dogs with GC have not yet been described. A 12-year-old West Highland White Terrier was presented with a progressive history of multifocal encephalopathy. A 3 T MRI revealed a diffuse, bilateral, ill-defined, intra-axial white matter lesion that was T2W and FLAIR hyperintense, T1W iso- to hypointense, showed no contrast enhancement, and was associated with moderate mass effect. 1H-MRS with voxel positioning at the left parietal area showed highly elevated mI and decreased NAA levels compared to healthy control dogs measured using the same protocol in the thalamus. GC was confirmed by stereotactic brain biopsy. Comparable 1H-MRS changes to those reported in humans were identified in a dog with GC.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40996370/