title: Imaging diagnosis--infiltrative lipoma causing spinal cord compression in a dog.
abstract: An 11-year-old, 43 kg neutered female Labrador retriever dog developed acute pelvic limb paraparesis. In magnetic resonance images there was a T1- and T2-hyperintense extradural at the fifth thoracic intervertebral space that was causing marked compression of the spinal cord. In short tau inversion recovery and fat suppressed T1-weighted images the signal from the mass was decreased indicating it was of fatty origin. The mass was removed via a dorsal hemilaminectomy in the thoracic area. Histopathologic analysis confirmed the mass was an infiltrative lipoma. The dog recovered and is fully ambulatory 24 months after surgery. This report provides additional evidence that lipomas in the vertebral canal may be the source of pelvic limb neuropathy and also illustrates the value of magnetic resonance imaging in establishing the fatty nature of some soft tissue masses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Georgetown Veterinary Hospital, 2916 M St, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA. leemorganl@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Lee W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Toal
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Siemering
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gavin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D008067:Lipoma / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae