Spinal radiography of the horse (original) (raw)
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Espondilodiscite com comprometimento extenso da coluna vertebral – relato de caso
Arquivos Brasileiros de Neurocirurgia: Brazilian Neurosurgery, 2016
Spondylodiscitis consists of an inflammatory process of infectious origin that affects primarily the intervertebral disc and spreads to the adjacent vertebral bodies, often evolving into osteomyelitis, with consequent associated neurological damage. The diagnosis is often delayed, with an average of 2 to 6 months between the appearance of the first symptoms and the confirmation of the disease. Therefore, the laboratorial and imaging exams play an important role in the diagnosis of spondylodiscitis, as well as in the orientation for the treatment to be followed (conservative or surgical). We report a case of extensive involvement of the spine and discuss about the epidemiology of the disease, its diagnosis, and therapeutic principles.
Animals
The radiographic, ultrasonographic, and scintigraphic findings of horses with thoracolumbosacral pain have been previously reported. In this study, the computed tomographic appearance of anatomical variations and pathological changes of the equine caudal lumbar region through a post-mortem examination were investigated. A total of 40 horses that had died or were submitted for euthanasia, for reasons unrelated to the study, were included in the study. From all the specimens, the modified vertebral system was adopted to evaluate and describe the four most caudal lumbar vertebrae, which were numbered from a caudal reference point (lumbosacral junction), with the segment number designated within parentheses (i.e., L(i)-L(iv)). Contact of the spinous processes was detected in 21 specimens (54%) and fusion in 6 specimens (15%). Lumbar spondylosis was seen in 17 specimens (42.5%), more commonly on the lateral aspect or on both ventral and lateral aspects in 12 specimens (71%). The presence...
Observer agreement study of cervical-vertebral ratios in horses
Equine Veterinary Journal, 2011
Reason for performing study: Different examiners or the same examiner were observed at different times producing slightly different results when obtaining cervical-vertebral ratios. If the difference is substantial, then measurement variability would have an important impact of radiographic interpretation. Objective: To quantify agreement and repeatability of these measurements. Methods: An observer agreement study was performed using 75 horses. Measurements were made at C3-4 and C6-7 by a board-certified radiologist and an imaging resident. Intraand interobserver agreement was quantified using Bland-Altman plots. Repeatability was assessed as the percentage of differences between duplicate measurements by the radiologist that were within Ϯ 2 s.d. of the differences. Results: At C3-4, the limits of agreement for the intra-vertebral ratio were between-5 and 4% for the intra-and-5 and 6% for interobserver comparison. For the intervertebral ratio, they were between-9 and 8% for the intra-and-10 and 10% for interobserver comparison. At C6-7, the limits of agreement for the intra-vertebral ratio were between-6 and 5% for the intra-and-6 and 8% for interobserver comparison. For the intervertebral ratio, they were between-7 and 7% for the intra-and-6 and 13% for interobserver comparison. At C3-4, all measurements were 95% repeatable (differences typically Յ4% and always Յ8%) for the intra-vertebral ratio and 96% repeatable (differences typically Յ8% and always Յ11%) for the intervertebral ratio. At C6-7, all measurements were 98% repeatable (differences typically Յ6% and always Յ7%) for the intravertebral ratio and 92% repeatable (differences typically Յ6% and always Յ10%) for the intervertebral ratio. Conclusions: Cervical-vertebral ratios typically varied by 5-10% within and between examiners. Potential relevance: When using cervical-vertebral ratios in practice, the impact of measurement agreement should be factored into the interpretation of the test result because measurement variability may lead to misdiagnosis and limit the clinical usefulness of these tests.
Disorders of the thoracolumbar spine of the horse - a survey of 443 cases
Equine Veterinary Journal, 1980
The survey comprised 443 horses, referred to the clinical department of the Equine Research Station, with a history of a thoracolumbar (TL) complaint. A wide range of lesions were capable of producing back problems and more than one condition or site of injury was found in 75 animals (17 per cent). There were 103 horses (19.7 per cent) with no evidence of damage to the TL spine or its associated structures. In 66 of these cases, clinical signs were attributed to a variety of hindlimb lamenesses and, in 37, no specific diagnosis could be made. Soft tissue injury was diagnosed in 203 cases (38.8 per cent), the most frequent sites being the longissimus dorsi muscles and/or the supraspinous ligament in the caudal withers and cranial lumbar regions. Chronic sacroiliac strain or mild sacroiliac instability was also a frequent cause of low back trouble in competitive horses. Other conditions included tying-up, subluxation of a lumbar vertebra and neuritis of the cauda equina. Fifteen cases (2.9 per cent) of vertebral malformations were found including scoliosis, lordosis and kyphosis. Vertebral lesions accounted for 202 (38.6 per cent) of the diagnoses. The most common condition was associated with crowding and overriding of the dorsal spinous processes in the caudal thoracic and cranial lumbar regions. This was most often diagnosed in competitive jumping horses (173 cases) and caused a loss of suppleness and spinal flexibility resulting in lowered performance and bouts of back pain. There was a comparatively low incidence of fractures (13 cases) and degenerative spondylosis (14 cases).
Equine veterinary journal, 2010
Reasons for study: Detailed anatomy of the equine cervical articular process joints (APJs) has received little attention in the literature and yet disorders of this joint have been linked to spinal cord compression resulting in severe clinical signs such as ataxia and weakness. This study aimed to describe the 3D anatomy of the APJ in relation to the spinal cord in the horse.Hypothesis: Artificial distension of the APJ causes the joint pouches to extend into the vertebral canal, with the potential for APJ effusion to cause spinal cord compressive disease.Methods: Six cadaveric necks (C1–C7) of clinically normal horses were used in this study. Computed tomography scans of the cervical APJ were acquired after injection of a negative contrast agent to maximal distension. The resulting images were semi-automatically segmented using greyscale thresholding and reconstructed in 3D by polygonal surface meshing. The 3D reconstructions were used to assess the topographic anatomy of the APJ in relation to the spinal cord and to measure joint volume at each cervical vertebra in relation to vertebrae size.Results: Joint volume varied significantly between joint location (P<0.0001) and was positively correlated to the vertebral site (from cranial to caudal) (r = 0.781, P<0.0001). After distension, the medial outpouch of the APJ extended towards the vertebral canal from a dorsolateral location but in none of the 6 horses was there apparent compression of the dura mater surrounding the spinal cord. There was no significant difference in the extent of medial outpouch at any vertebral level (P = 0.104). Flexion of the neck resulted in minor changes to the shape of the APJ but did not result in the medial outpouch encroaching any closer to the spinal cord.Conclusions: From this study, it appears that in the absence of any other soft tissue or bony changes an effusion of the APJ is unlikely to cause spinal cord compression. However, given that the APJ and spinal cord are in close approximation, in the presence of other anatomical changes, an effusion may have the potential to cause compression.Potential relevance: This study confirms that the APJ extend into the dorsolateral aspect of the vertebral canal in a ventromedial direction, suggesting that oblique myelographic views are recommended for the diagnosis of spinal cord compression when pathology of the APJ is suspected.
Islamic Azad University of Kazerun, 2021
Background and aim: Vertebral column injuries are very common and vary in severity and prognosis. The aim of this study was to examine the spine for abnormal curvature of the spine, such as scoliosis and kyphosis and osteoarthritis of the intervertebral joints and the collapse (degeneration) of the discs between the bones of the spine and other abnormality in dogs. Materials and Methods: In this study osteoarthrosis of the intervertebral joints and the collapse (degeneration) of the discs between the bones of the spine and spinal injuries, examined on radiographs of the vertebrae. In this study we evaluated relationship between these injuries and age, sex and the breed of dogs referred to clinics and hospitals in Tehran during a period of 2 years (2020-2021). Results: The incidence of spinal disorders in different age groups during the study period were 17.89% in the age group 0 to 5 years, 49.75% for age group 6 to 10 years and 32.36% for age group 11 to 15 years. The incidence of spinal disorders in different sexes during the study period was 39.80% in males and 60.20% in females. Conclusion: This study revealed that the probability of suffering from primary vertebral injuries increased with a dog's age and the percentage of vertebral problems in females is higher than males.
Nuclear scintigraphic retrospective study of the C6/7 articular facets of the equine cervical spine
Pferdeheilkunde Equine Medicine, 2018
The objectives of this study were firstly, to determine an objective grading system of radiopharmaceutical uptake in the C6/7 articular facets of the cervical spine as a predictor of clinical signs in warmblood sporthorses; and secondly to establish an objective absorption coefficient (AC) value that could possibly differentiate between presence or absence of clinical signs in this region. 308 scintigraphic views of the cervical spine in 154 German warmblood horses were evaluated. Scintigrams were divided into clinically normal (60) and clinically abnormal (94) groups of horses. Horses were grouped according to performance type and age. Uptake coefficients using C3/4 as a reference point were established. Sensitivity and specificity for detection of neck pain and radiographic abnormalities were assessed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine a cutoff point for distinguishing between clinically normal and abnormal horses. An AC value of 1.243 at the C6/7 cervical vertebral facets separated clinically normal from clinically abnormal horses. Values decreased slightly with increasing age of the horses, and were highest in the middle age. There was a significant difference in AC values between clinically normal and abnormal horses in the dressage and show jumping groups. The best predictive values were established for horses in the show jumping category where scintigraphic findings correlated with clinical signs. An AC value of 1.235 at the C6/7 cervical vertebral facets reliably separates pathological from physiological uptake. However, age and performance type of the horses should be taken into account when interpreting these findings.
Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation, 1993
Nine horses with clinical and radiographic findings of cervical vertebral malformation that were necropsied and examined using frozen cervical spinal cord cross sections were reviewed. Only cases with actual distortion of the spinal cord due to compression were selected. The goal of the study was to determine the morphologic features responsible for narrowing of the spinal canal and compression of the spinal cord. In individual cases, bony changes are associated with osteochondrosis and osteomyelitis of the dorsal articular facets and osteosclerosis of the dorsal cervical lamina. Soft tissue pathology associated with spinal cord compression included ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, joint capsule swelling and hypertrophy, and synovial cysts. In most cases, a combination of abnormalities was found in horses with spinal cord compression.
Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2007
Background: Cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy (CVCM) is a common cause of myelopathy in horses aged 6 months to 4 years. Little information is available regarding the types of lesions, treatment, and outcomes in horses with CVCM that are 4yearsold.Animals:Twenty−twoaffectedhorses(10withaconfirmeddiagnosisofCVCMand12presumptivecases)and210contemporaneouscontrolhorses.Methods:Horses4 years old. Animals: Twenty-two affected horses (10 with a confirmed diagnosis of CVCM and 12 presumptive cases) and 210 contemporaneous control horses. Methods: Horses 4yearsold.Animals:Twenty−twoaffectedhorses(10withaconfirmeddiagnosisofCVCMand12presumptivecases)and210contemporaneouscontrolhorses.Methods:Horses4 years old that were diagnosed with CVCM between January 1992 and January 2004 were identified from medical records at Texas A&M University and the University of Florida. Data analyzed included history, signalment, neurologic examination findings, lesion location, treatment, and outcome. Signalment was also recorded in a population of contemporaneous controls. Results: Horses identified had a median age of 8.4 years, and there was a greater percentage of male horses among the cases than among the controls. The most common breeds represented were warmblood (n 5 6) and quarter horse (n 5 5) types; warmbloods were significantly (P , .05) overrepresented relative to control horses. The caudal cervical vertebral column was the most common site of CVCM lesions, and the C5-C6 (4/9) and C6-C7 (3/9) articulations were most often identified as abnormal via myelography. The most common lesions seen with radiography and myelography were articular process osteophytes. Of the 22 affected horses, 8 were euthanized and a diagnosis of CVCM was confirmed by necropsy for all; 5 of 8 of these horses had spinal cord compression caused, entirely or in part, by articular process osteophytes. Medical management was the therapy chosen in all horses, and administration of corticosteroids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs resulted in improvement in the greatest number of horses. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: CVCM should be a differential diagnosis in older horses with cervical myelopathy. Articular process osteophytes are the most frequently identified cause of spinal cord compression in this group. Male horses and horses of warmblood or Tennessee Walking Horse breeds may be predisposed to this condition.