title: Synovial myxoma in the vertebral column of a dog: MRI description and surgical removal.
abstract: A 12 yr old castrated male mixed-breed dog presented with a 2 wk history of progressive tetraparesis. Neurologic deficits included a short-strided choppy gait in the thoracic limbs and a long-strided proprioceptive ataxia in the pelvic limbs. Withdrawal reflexes were decreased bilaterally in the thoracic limbs. Signs were consistent with a myelopathy of the caudal cervical/cranial thoracic spinal cord (i.e., the sixth cervical [C] vertebra to the second thoracic [T] vertebra). A mass associated with the C6-C7 articular facet on the left side was identified on MRI of the cervical spinal cord. The lesion was hyperintense to spinal cord parenchyma on T2-weighted images, hypointense on T1-weighted images, and there was strong homogenous contrast enhancement. Significant spinal cord compression was associated with the lesion. The mass was removed through a C6-C7 dorsal laminectomy and facetectomy. Histopathology of the mass was consistent with a synovial myxoma of the articular facet. A postoperative MRI showed complete surgical resection. Albeit rare, synovial myxomas should be included in the list of differential diagnoses for neoplasms affecting the vertebral columns in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Bush Veterinary Neurology Service, Leesburg, VA.
authors.forename: Casey P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Neary
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Bush
authors.forename: Deena M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Tiches
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Durham
authors.forename: Patrick R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gavin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D007796:Laminectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D009232:Myxoma / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000662:veterinary; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*