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MR‐IMAGING OF LUMBOSACRAL INTERVERTEBRAL DISC DEGENERATION IN CLINICALLY SOUND G ERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS COMPARED TO OTHER BREEDS
Author(s) -
Amort Kerstin H.,
Ondreka Nele,
Rudorf Heike,
Stock Kathrin F.,
Distl Ottmar,
Tellhelm Bernd,
Kramer Martin,
Wigger Antje
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
veterinary radiology and ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.541
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1740-8261
pISSN - 1058-8183
DOI - 10.1111/j.1740-8261.2011.01903.x
Subject(s) - lumbosacral joint , medicine , anatomy , intervertebral disc , degeneration (medical) , cauda equina , disc protrusion , magnetic resonance imaging , lumbar , pathology , radiology , spinal cord , psychiatry
G erman shepherd dogs are overrepresented in the group of dogs with cauda equina compression syndrome due to degenerative lumbosacral stenosis. A congenital predisposition for early degeneration of the lumbosacral intervertebral disc has been suspected. Our aims were to assess the morphologic appearance of the lumbosacral intervertebral disc and the lumbosacral junction in healthy G erman shepherd dogs compared to other breeds and to evaluate for an early onset of degenerative changes. The lumbosacral spine of 110 clinically sound G erman shepherd dogs and 47 healthy dogs of other large breeds was examined using magnetic resonance ( MR ) imaging. The degeneration of every intervertebral disc was graded using an established classification system. Signal intensity of the entire lumbosacral disc and the nucleus pulposus was determined independently. Lumbosacral malalignment was assessed according to a previously described method. The findings for the G erman shepherd dogs were compared to those of the other breeds. Although most dogs were younger than 18 months at the date of examination, significantly higher grades of degeneration were detected for the lumbosacral intervertebral disc of G erman shepherd dogs ( P < 0.003). Degeneration of the lumbosacral intervertebral disc was independent from findings in the other lumbar discs. We conclude that the G erman shepherd dog has a predisposition for degenerative changes in the lumbosacral intervertebral disc.