Computed tomography diagnosis of eight dogs with brain infarction.
OBJECTIVE
Medical records of eight dogs presenting with acute onset of neurological signs and a diagnosis of brain infarction as determined by computed tomography (CT) imaging were reviewed.


METHODS
Retrospective single-centre case review.


RESULTS
Ischaemic infarction in the territory of the rostral cerebellar artery was identified in three spaniel-breed dogs. All cerebellar infarcts were non-haemorrhagic. Telencephalic infarcts were identified in five dogs, in the territories of the middle cerebral artery (2/5) and rostral cerebral artery (3/5). One of these dogs had an ischaemic infarction, but all other infarctions appeared haemorrhagic. All dogs were geriatric (≥ 8 years old), with concurrent medical conditions identified in six dogs. One dog was euthanased after diagnosis because of the severity of its neurological signs and one dog was euthanased as a result of associated renal disease 2 months after diagnosis. Six dogs were alive at least 1 year after diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
CT is useful in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident in dogs, which can present as a spectrum of images with early changes in attenuation and subtle mass effects detected after infarction. CT is particularly sensitive for detecting haemorrhagic infarction, but under-represent ischaemic and lacunar infarctions when compared with MRI.
Paul
A E H
AE
Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital, Murdoch Dve., Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia. a.paul@murdoch.edu.au
Lenard
Z
Z
Mansfield
C S
CS
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D001947:Breeding; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*