title: Imaging diagnosis--spinal cord chondrosarcoma associated with spirocercosis in a dog.
abstract: A 7-year-old neutered female Boerboel cross was examined for progressive left pelvic limb lameness. There was no left patellar reflex but the remaining pelvic limb reflexes were hyperreflexic. Radiographically, there was a poorly mineralized opacity occupying the intervertebral foramen at LA-L5. On computed tomography images there was a hyperattenuating intramedullary lesion at LA-L5 that continued caudally, lateralized to the left and became extramedullary, terminating at L5-L6. In addition, well marginated, hyperattenuating lesions were noted at two muscular sites. The dog underwent euthanasia and a caudal esophageal mass was found at post mortem examination. The tumors in the spinal cord, the esophagus, and the skeletal muscles were diagnosed histologically as low-grade chondrosarcoma undergoing endochondral ossification. Spirocerca lupi-induced esophageal chondrosarcoma was believed to be the primary site from which the other, presumably metastatic, lesions originated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private bag x04, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, South Africa 0110. nicky.lindsay@up.ac.za
authors.forename: Nicolette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kirberger
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002813:Chondrosarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000556:secondary / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D004285:Dogs; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D005260:Female; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000556:secondary / Q000662:veterinary*; D017205:Spirurida Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D013802:Thelazioidea / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000662:veterinary