title: Comparison of computed tomography and myelography to a reference standard of computed tomographic myelography for evaluation of dogs with intervertebral disc disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the sensitivity of computed tomography (CT) and myelography to a reference standard of CT myelography for determining localization of Type I intervertebral disc extrusions in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective blinded comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs with acute onset myelopathy because of suspected disc extrusions (n = 30).
  
  
  METHODS
  Dogs had CT, myelography, and CT myelography to diagnose disc extrusions. Sensitivity of CT and myelography was compared to CT myelography for lateral, longitudinal, and combined localization. Confidence in the assessment of each imaging study was scored by 3 reviewers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sensitivity of CT for lateral, longitudinal, and combined localization was 94%, 91%, and 81%, respectively, and was 64%, 74%, and 53%, respectively for myelography. Sensitivity of all 3 categories of localization was significantly different between modalities (P < .0001, P = .0031, P < .0001). Significant differences in the sensitivity of lateral and combined localization were found between confidence scores for myelography (P < .0001, P < .0001). Significant differences in the sensitivity of lateral, longitudinal, and combined localization were found between confidence scores for CT (P = .011, P = .013, P = .027). Poor sensitivity was obtained for both modalities except when imaging studies were assigned the highest confidence score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CT is a more sensitive imaging technique than myelography for localizing disc extrusions when compared to a reference standard of CT myelography. Both modalities yielded high sensitivity with the highest confidence score and poor sensitivity for all other confidence scores.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, OK, USA. brenttn@gmail.com
authors.forename: Brent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Newcomb
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arble
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rochat
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pechman
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Payton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009192:Myelography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*