IV Versus Myelography Computed Tomography for Thoracolumbar Intervertebral Disc Extrusion Surgical Planning in French Bulldogs.

Accurate diagnostic imaging is required for surgical planning of acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc extrusion. However, data comparing the accuracy of conventional IV contrast-injected computed tomography (CT) and myelography CT for hemilaminectomy localization and size assessment are sparse. In this study, IV contrast-injected CT and myelography CT were performed in 48 French bulldogs presenting with acute disc herniation and compared with postsurgical CT. CT images were evaluated by three raters. IV contrast-injected CT erroneously identified the compressive lesion site significantly more often than myelography CT. The length of the compressive lesion was significantly higher using myelography CT compared with conventional CT, but this did not lead to relevant consequences on the surgical opening site length. Myelography CT should therefore be recommended when thoracolumbar disc disease is suspected and multiple compressive lesions are visualized on IV-injected CT in French bulldogs.

Spinal epidural and synovial lipomatosis in a 3-year-old Eurasian dog receiving sustained steroid therapy.

This report describes a spinal cord epidural and synovial lipomatosis in a 3-year-old neutered male Eurasian dog. This dog presented for ambulatory paraparesis and was previously treated with immunosuppressive dosages of prednisolone for 2 years. Computed tomography (CT) myelography and magnetic resonnance imaging (MRI) images identified dorsal compression of the thoraco-lumbar spinal cord by hypertrophic epidural fat. Histological examination identified extensive well-differentiated mature adipose tissue in the subepithelial area of the tarsal synovium. Prednisolone is a reported predisposing factor in humans with lipomatosis.