title: Evaluation of the accuracy of neurologic data, survey radiographic results, or both for localization of the site of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the accuracy of neurologic data, survey radiographic results, or both for localization of the site of thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation in dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  338 dogs with surgically confirmed intervertebral disk herniation from disk spaces T10-11 to L6-7.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records and archived survey radiographs were reviewed for each case. Data were analyzed with multivariable logistic regression models. Three models were fit to develop subsets of the data consisting of survey radiographic data, neurologic examination data, and a combination of survey radiographic and neurologic examination data. The resulting models were validated by evaluating predictive performance against a validation subset of the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Models incorporating survey radiographic data and a combination of survey radiographic and neurologic data had similar predictive ability and performed better than the model based solely on neurologic data but resulted in substantial errors in predictions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A combination of neurologic examination data as recorded in the medical records and radiographic data did not enhance predictive performance of multivariable logistic regression models over models limited to radiographic data. Neurologic and radiographic findings should not be used to completely exclude areas in an abnormal spinal cord region from further evaluation with advanced imaging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108.
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Daniel A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Feeney
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Willey
authors.forename: Bradley P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Carlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000662:veterinary*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies