Radiology View: What’s Your Read?
Patient Presentation
A six-month-old intact male terrier mix presented for pain on neck manipulation.
View the radiographs (figure 1 and figure 2) below and consider the following questions:
- What are your radiographic findings?
- What is your diagnosis?
Figure 4. Ventrodorsal radiograph of the spine. Note lucent appearance of the caudal endplate of C4 and the cranial endplate of C5 consistent with the presence of lysis.
Conclusion
Lysis of the caudal endplate of C4 and cranial endplate of C5 is considered evidence of an infectious process. Discospondylitis is the primary differential; in a patient of this age infection arising at the vertebral physes is an additional differential.
Recommendations
Initiation of broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy is indicated.
Fluoroscopic-guided or computed tomographic-guided aspiration of the abnormal vertebrae could be considered for definitive diagnosis.
Check out more...What's Your Read
RADIOLOGY VIEW: WHAT’S YOUR READ? 13-YEAR-OLD DOG WITH ABDOMINAL PAIN
RADIOLOGY VIEW: WHAT’S YOUR READ? 13-WEEK LAB WITH LETHARGY & COUGH
