Morphometric dimensions of the caudal cervical vertebral column in clinically normal Doberman Pinschers, English Foxhounds and Doberman Pinschers with clinical signs of disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy.
Client-owned, clinically normal Doberman Pinschers (n=20), English Foxhounds (n=17), and Doberman Pinschers with clinical signs of disk-associated cervical spondylomyelopathy (DA-CSM) (n=17) were prospectively studied. All dogs underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical vertebral column. To evaluate vertebral canal stenosis, the canal occupying ratios of the spinal cord and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-column were calculated from C5 to C7. To evaluate the degree of spinal cord compression and the amount of canal compromise, the compression ratio, remaining spinal cord and CSF-column area, and vertebral canal and dorsoventral vertebral canal compromise ratios were calculated at the site of most severe compression. For each canal occupying ratio, there was a significant higher value (implicating less space available for the spinal cord in the vertebral canal) at the level of C7 for clinically affected Doberman Pinschers compared with clinically normal English Foxhounds. The remaining spinal cord area was significantly smaller in dogs with clinically relevant spinal cord compression compared to dogs with clinically irrelevant spinal cord compression. Relative stenosis of the caudal cervical vertebral canal occurred more often in Doberman Pinschers with DA-CSM compared to English Foxhounds and a critical degree of spinal cord compression should be reached to result in clinical signs.
Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire AL97TA, United Kingdom. sdedecker@rvc.ac.uk
Steven
S
De Decker
Ingrid M V L
IM
Gielen
Luc
L
Duchateau
Henri J J
HJ
van Bree
Tim
T
Waelbers
Valérie
V
Bavegems
Luc M L
LM
Van Ham
D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010375:Pedigree; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging