title: Effects of femur position on radiographic assessment of completeness of femoral head and neck excision in medium- to large-breed dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of femur positioning on radiographic assessment of completeness of excision after femoral head and neck excision (FHNE) in medium to large breed dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  10 femurs from canine cadavers (body weight > 20 kg).
  
  
  METHODS
  Complete FHNE was performed on 5 canine femurs. Excision consisting of inadequate removal of the medial distal aspect of the femoral neck was performed on the remaining 5 femurs. Each femur was positioned with predetermined amounts of internal and external rotation about the long axis and radiographed. Investigators evaluated a set of 8 radiographic views of each femur. Sensitivity (SE), specificity (SP), positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and completeness of excision assessment accuracy were estimated for each of the femur positions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Craniocaudal radiographic views of the femur positioned with external rotation of 15 degrees, 30 degrees, and 45 degrees as a group had the highest SE, SP, and completeness of excision assessment accuracy relative to other radiographic views. The SE, SP, and accuracy of assessment were higher when the degree of external rotation was increased from 15 degrees to 30 degrees or 45 degrees.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Craniocaudal radiographic views of the femur positioned in external rotation (15 degrees, 30 degrees, and 45 degrees) improved the ability to detect adequacy of excision relative to standard craniocaudal and lateromedial radiographic views. Evaluation of craniocaudal radiographic views of the femur positioned in external rotation may increase the ability to assess FHNE adequacy in medium- to large-breed dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843- 4474, USA.
authors.forename: Arathi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vinayak
authors.forename: Sharon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kerwin
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bahr
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Peycke
authors.forename: Walter D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Mertens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004285:Dogs / Q000601:surgery*; D005270:Femur Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography / Q000379:methods* / Q000662:veterinary*; D012399:Rotation