Prognostic significance of specific magnetic resonance imaging features in canine nasal tumours treated by radiotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prognostic significance of the magnetic resonance (MR) findings of meningeal hyperintensity of the olfactory bulbs and tumour extension into the caudal nasal recess (CNR) in dogs with nasal tumours treated by radiotherapy.


METHODS
MR images of 41 dogs with nasal tumours treated with radiotherapy were reviewed. The occurrence of neurological signs and survival of patients with and without meningeal hyperintensity of the olfactory bulbs and tumour extension into the CNR were analysed together with possible confounding factors including intracranial extension and patient age.


RESULTS
There was no significant association between the presence of meningeal hyperintensity or CNR involvement and the occurrence of neurological signs. Although there was a tendency towards shorter survival in dogs with tumour extension into the CNR, multivariable analysis showed no significant difference in survival between dogs with/without CNR involvement, meningeal hyperintensity or intracranial tumour extension (P=0.12, 0.50 and 0.57, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
In dogs with nasal tumours treated with radiotherapy, tumour extension into the cranium is not necessarily associated with shorter survival in patients without neurological signs at time of diagnosis. Although a definite influence of CNR involvement on case outcome could not be demonstrated, studies with a larger population are warranted.
Agthe
P
P
Queen's Veterinary School Hospital, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ES, UK.
Caine
A R
AR
Gear
R N A
RN
Dobson
J M
JM
Richardson
K J
KJ
Herrtage
M E
ME
D000818:Animals; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005626:Frontal Sinus / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000662:veterinary; D009669:Nose Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index