title: CT myelography of the thoraco-lumbar spine in 8 dogs with degenerative myelopathy.
abstract: CT myelography of the T11-L2 region was performed in 8 large-breed dogs with a clinical diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy (DM) and 3 large-breed dogs that were clinically normal. CT myelographic characteristics were recorded for each dog, at each disc level. Area measurements of the spinal cord, dural sac, vertebral canal, and vertebral body were recorded at 4 slice locations for each disc level. Mean area ratios were calculated and graphically compared, by slice location and group. In all dogs, CT myelography identified morphologic abnormalities that were not suspected from conventional myelograms. Characteristics observed with higher frequency in DM versus normal dogs were: spinal stenosis, disc protrusion, focal attenuation of the subarachnoid space, spinal cord deformity, small spinal cord, and paraspinal muscle atrophy. Mean spinal cord:dural sac, spinal cord:vertebral canal, dural sac: vertebral canal, and vertebral canal:vertebral body ratios were smaller in DM versus normal dogs at more than one disc level. Some CT myelographic characteristics in DM dogs were similar to those previously reported in humans, dogs and horses with stenotic myelopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0442, USA. jcjones@vt.edu
authors.forename: Jeryl C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Karen D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Inzana
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Rossmeisl
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Bergman
authors.forename: Tana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Butler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D009192:Myelography / Q000662:veterinary*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary*