84 (4) pg 197-204

Title: 
Magnetic resonance findings and outcome in ten cats with traumatic spondylomyelopathy
Author(s): 
R. TAPIA-NIETO, G. B. CHERUBINI, S. JAKOVLJEVIC, A. CAINE
Abstract: 

ABSTRACTIn this retrospective study, the MR findings of ten cats with acute post-traumatic spondylomyelopathywere described and the most useful MR sequences were determined. Spinal cordinjury (SCI), bone and muscle trauma were compared with the clinical outcome (recovery oreuthanasia). The extension of spinal cord injury (SCI) was measured in vertebral body length(VBL). Of the ten cats, only five fully recovered. In the recovery group, no SCI (n=1) or SCI<1 VBL (n=4) were found. In the group of euthanized dogs, SCI > 2 VBLs (n=4) or spinal cordtransection (n=1) were found. Lesions were best seen on T2WSE (spinal cord injury), STIR (softtissue trauma) and T1WSE (bone injury). Low-field MR was therefore helpful to assess felinespinal trauma and may prove helpful to predict the clinical outcome, although a larger caseseries is needed. The authors suggest that protocols with low-field MR should include T1WSE,T2WSE and STIR sequences.

pp 197-204
Retrospective study and case report