title: Does radiographic arthrosis correlate with cartilage pathology in Labrador Retrievers affected by medial coronoid process disease?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare radiographic elbow arthrosis with arthroscopic cartilage pathology in Labrador retrievers with elbow osteoarthritis secondary to medial coronoid process (MCP) disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective epidemiological study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Labrador retrievers (n = 317; 592 elbow joints).
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected retrospectively (June 2007-June 2011) to identify Labrador retrievers with thoracic limb lameness and elbow pain, a complete set of elbow radiographs, and a comprehensive arthroscopic surgery report. Each radiograph was scored for osteophytosis on the anconeal process and ulnar subtrochlear sclerosis using a modification of the International Elbow Working Group (IEWG) scoring system. Elbows affected by traumatic MCP fracture, humeral condylar osteochondrosis, or ununited anconeal process were excluded. The arthroscopic report was used to generate a composite cartilage score (CCS; 0 = normal, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe) for each elbow joint. Ordinal regression analysis was performed to test the relationship between radiographic arthrosis score and CCS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant relationship between radiographic elbow arthrosis and CCS (P < .001). Elbows with a higher radiographic score were significantly more likely to have a higher CCS than elbows with a lower radiographic score. For every month increase in age, the odds of having a higher CCS increased by 0.016 (1.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiographic arthrosis can be used to predict the severity of arthroscopic cartilage pathology in Labrador retrievers affected by MCP disease.
authors.affiliation: Fitzpatrick Referrals, Eashing, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Solano
authors.forename: Noel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sparrow
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kowaleski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001182:Arthroscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D002358:Cartilage, Articular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005552:Forelimb / Q000473:pathology*; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015588:Observer Variation; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies